A MAN arrested for ordering stun guns has been sentenced two years later after having to remind police of his own case.

Alan Hesketh, 36, of Holyhead Close, Callands, was originally arrested in July 2017 after he ordered four stun guns which were imported from Singapore and Switzerland.

On Monday, Chester Crown Court heard how there had been a severe delay in Hesketh’s case, forcing him to ring police in October 2018 to chase it up.

The prosecution admitted Hesketh may not have been appearing in court if it wasn’t for this phone call, as it seemed police had forgotten him.

During the hearing, the court heard how the stun guns were disguised as torches and were intercepted in July 2017 before they could be delivered.

While they would deliver a shock to a person, they were non-lethal weapons.

Depending on the amount of time they touched a person, the guns would either startle and repel, make someone lose the ability to stand or could also cause them to fall to the floor dazed.

The court was told how Hesketh’s computer was seized and there was a delay of 12 months from the police during which time the case was re-assigned.

He has one previous caution as an adult but no previous convictions.

Oliver King, representing Hesketh, said police seemed to have forgotten about it for no known reason, leaving Hesketh with the case hanging over him for years.

Hesketh had entered a guilty plea and stated he was drunk when he bought the guns.

He had not attempted to conceal his identity when ordering them.

Mr King told the court Hesketh is an anxious person and wanted to protect himself.

Hesketh cannot complete unpaid work in the community and is not currently working due to a back injury.

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Judge Patrick Thompson, sentencing, said: “These weapons are building prevalence on the streets in this country.

“Weapons in the streets of Britain are at a record level and are causing a great deal of criminality and a great deal of stress.

“I don’t accept that you were drunk when you ordered them- you knew what you were doing.”

Judge Thompson recognised that the stun guns were non-lethal, Hesketh was deemed a low risk of re-offending according to the probation service, he has a lack of previous serious convictions and the delay in the case.

He added: “It seems to me there is no excuse for the delay.”

Hesketh was sentenced to 18 months imprisonment on each of the four counts of importing the weapons, suspended for 18 months.

He must comply with a curfew between the hours of 7pm and 7am and is subject to a 12 month community order.

Chief Inspector Simon Meegan, of Warrington Local Policing Unit, said:  “Importing these devices is illegal and I am pleased that a conviction has been secured in this case.

“The time it took for this case to get to court was unacceptable and occurred for a number of reasons.

“However, it is not correct to say that it would never have gone to court had it not been for the offender contacting police to ask for updates regarding the investigation.

“The case was never closed, local officers had always been assigned with progressing the investigation and enquiries were ongoing at the time.

“We are in the process of reviewing the matter and will then consider any lessons that need to be learned from it.”