A woman has avoided a lengthy prison sentence after she bought a stun gun disguised as a BMW key.
Linda McKenzie was caught red-handed when police went to her home and found the fake fob lying on her coffee table.
The 58-year-old claimed it was a personal attack alarm she bought from the online marketplace, however, an examination concluded it was a disguised stun gun.
Her lawyer, David Sutherland, claimed his client had bought it over fears for her personal safety.
Due to the “exceptional circumstances” of the case, McKenzie – who has spent nearly a year on remand over this offence – was handed a community order as an alternative to a prison sentence.
Stun gun was sitting on coffee table
It was stated that police had attended at an address in Fraser Court, Aberdeen, where they then received information that McKenzie had a taser device disguised as a BMW car key.
Officers soon spotted the overly large BMW key on open display on the coffee table.
Police seized the key fob and McKenzie was heard to make the spontaneous admission that “it was her personal attack alarm”.
When activated, one of the buttons on the BMW key emitted an arc of electricity from the base.
The device was then deactivated.
On February 11 2021, McKenzie was cautioned and charged accused in relation with the offence.
Appearing via video link, McKenzie pleaded guilty to one charge of possessing an imitation firearm.
Usual five-year minimum sentence
Defence solicitor David Sutherland told the court that his client had been on remand following her arrest over the incident since November last year.
He added that McKenzie had bought the item due to concerns over her safety in relation to a man in her local area.
Sentencing McKenzie, Sheriff Andrew Miller told her that the charge she had pleaded guilty to ordinarily resulted in a minimum prison term of five years.
“But I accept that there are exceptional circumstances in this case,” he said.
“Mainly, that you were experiencing difficulty with a man who lived in the local area and it is accepted by the Crown that it was on the background of this difficulty that you purchased this item.
“It’s agreed that you thought you were buying an attack alarm but that you bought what is in effect a taser.
“Nonetheless, anyone who possesses items of this kind commits a serious offence and you kept it in your possession after you knew you were committing an offence.”
As an alternative to a prison sentence, Sheriff Miller made McKenzie, whose address was given as HMP Grampian, subject to a community payback order with supervision for 18 months.
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