A MAN caught red-handed with a stun gun in his bedroom told police he found and kept the weapon because he thought it was “cool”.

James Phillips’ Cwmbran home was searched by officers after they stopped a BMW in the Henllys Way area of the town.

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He was a passenger in the car and a drugs investigation was launched although the defendant had nothing to do with that inquiry.

Nuhu Gobir, prosecuting, told Newport Crown Court: “His home address was searched and police discovered a black stung gun in a bedroom.

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“It was a Chinese-manufactured electric stun gun/torch and firearms officers tested it.

“The weapon was capable of being activated without being charged.

“It is a prohibited weapon and releases a sharp shock and it can cause a person to fall to the ground and not recover for several minutes.”

Mr Gobir added: “The defendant told officers he didn’t realise it was illegal.

“He said he found it on an embankment in the Thornhill area of Cwmbran about a year before and kept it because, in his words, he thought it was cool.”

Phillips, 26, of Brookside, St Dials, pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon.

The offence was committed on March 15, 2020.

The court heard how the factory worker defendant, represented by Nicholas Gedge, was a man of previous clean character with no convictions recorded against him.

Phillips was assessed by the Probation Service as presenting a low risk of reoffending.

Judge Richard Williams told him: “Never have one of these weapons again.”

The defendant was ordered to pay £635 in a fine, costs and a surcharge.

Phillips must pay this amount within six months or face five days in prison in default.

The judge ordered the forfeiture and destruction of the stun gun.