A 56-year-old woman is facing being sent to prison for a minimum of five years after voluntarily telling police officers she had a taser-style device in her home.
Suzanne Neave mentioned the weapon when she was talking to police about an unrelated matter where she was not involved in any criminal wrongdoing.
But she now faces a mandatory minimum five-year jail term because the device – a stun gun in the shape of a mobile phone – falls under a special category of “disguised” weapon.
Neave, Beacon Road, Montrose, admitted having a firearm disguised as another object in her former home at Provost Reids Road in Montrose on 6 August 2019.
She admitted the offence at Dundee Sheriff Court and sentence was deferred for the preparation of social work background reports. Bail was continued.
Agreed to let police search her home
Fiscal depute Stewart Duncan told the court that Neave was discussing an issue with police officers when she told them unprompted about her stun gun.
He said: “She became more and more agitated. She made comments regarding a taser-type device which she had in her home.
“She said it was on the table in the living room. She was asked by the officers if they could have permission to enter her home.
“She was informed that if the device was recovered she would be charged in respect of this. The accused agreed to allow officers to enter her property.
“She provided a description of the device and informed them it would be found on a table in the living room. At 11.10 pm on the same date two officers entered her home.
“It was in darkness and there were no other persons within. They found the device of the table. It was found to be a battery-operated stun device.
“When it was tested at the lab it was in working order with an audible and visible display of sparks occurring between the electrodes.
“The device contained a torch function which illuminated when tested,” Mr Duncan told the court.
