Key ring ‘taser’ deemed a weapon Toowoomba man discovers
The man claimed the key ring taser had a zap akin to that of an electric fence, his solicitor told Toowoomba Magistrates Court.
Police & Courts
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EVEN key ring ornaments could be deemed unlawful weapons as a Toowoomba man has found out.
A police patrol driving past The Vault on Ruthven about 3.30am one recent weekend had been flagged down by security staff claiming they had seen a man activating a taser nearby.
Police stopped to talk to the male, Shane Arthur Gary Laurie who denied having any weapons on him, Toowoomba Magistrates Court heard.
During a pat-down search of the 42-year-old, police found a kubaton, 6cm x 2cm black rectangular item which turned out to be an electric antipersonnel device, or small taser, attached to a key ring, police prosecutor Natalie Bugden told the court.
Sergeant Bugden said the key ring also had attached a 15cm aluminium item with a spike which could fit in one’s hand and be used when punching or striking someone.
Laurie pleaded guilty to unlawfully possessing a category D/H/R weapons and to unlawfully possessing a category A, B or M weapon.
Sgt Bugden said the defendant had no criminal history for nine years.
His solicitor Nick Smith, of Bernays Lawyers, told the court his client had been messing around with a mate after a 40th birthday party on the night.
His client instructed he had had the taser for about seven years but hadn’t realised it was an illegal item and only one of the police officers on the night could identify the object, he said.
His client claimed the taser gave off a small zap less in intensity than an electric fence but rather than go to hearing on the matter, his client was prepared to plead guilty to have the matter dealt with, Mr Smith submitted.
The matter came down to his client’s ignorance on whether the objects were prohibited items, he said.
Magistrate Howard Osborne ordered the convictions not be recorded and fined Laurie $500.
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