Stun gun found in search

A SELF-EMPLOYED heating engineer admitted having a stun gun at his home and £2,000 worth of amphetamine in his work van.

Kevin McGuinn (37), from Taunton Road, Chadderton, yesterday, pleaded guilty to charges of possessing a prohibited weapon, possession of a class B drug with intent to supply, possession of cannabis and failing to stop following a road accident.

Oldham Magistrates Court heard how McGuinn had been involved in a rear end shunt with a Mercedes car at 2.15pm on September 29, 2011, on Broadway but did not stop.

The car’s owner called the police and gave details of McGuinn’s transit van and registration number and he was tracked down at his mother’s house and arrested.

Police searched the van and found £170 of cannabis, which he claimed was for personal use, as well as amphetamines with a street value of £2,000. His home was then searched and the stun gun recovered.

Patrick Harris, defending, said someone at a gym had asked his client to take the bag to another person in return for £50.

He said: “He didn’t ask any questions but thought it was likely to be amphetamines. He took £50 for it, which he hasn’t received.”

Tests revealed the drugs contained just 6 per cent amphetamine and 94 per cent caffeine.

With regards to the stun gun, Mr Harris said McGuinn had been the victim of a street assault some time ago and obtained the gun from a friend who bought it in Thailand.

He said a firearms expert had ruled that the gun did not work had needed a charger to get it to work.

In relation to the fail to stop charge, he said McGuinn accepted that he should have stopped, especially as he was fully insured, but he was worried about his no-claims bonus and panicked.

Mr Harris said his client had pleaded guilty at the earliest opportunity and asked for sentencing at magistrates court instead of crown court.

Chairwoman of the bench Veronica Heap declined jurisdiction and the matter was committed for sentencing to Minshull Street Crown Court on February 27.