A 42-year-old Derryman arrested under terrorrism legislation on Friday night appeared in court today (Monday) charged with possessing a weapon that was described as a stun gun.
Kieran McCool of Laburnum Terrace in the city was charged with possessing the weapon on July 16 last.
The court was told that McCool was stopped in a car on Friday night and arrested under the terrorismm legislation. His house was subsequently searched and a disposable camera was found that a police officer said had been modified so that it could be used to deliver an electric shock.
The officer said that it would be very easy to manufacture and that McCool had told him how it was done. The officer said this was the second time that such a device had been found in McCool’s possession.
He said that last September a similar object was found but no charges had yet followed from that. The court was told that McCool had told police he had tested the device on a piece of metal and it had scorched the metal.
The police officer said that it was still unclear how the weapon would work but he believed there could be a real danger to the public and that it could be used for offensive purposes.
A defence solicitor Mr. Paddy McGurk asked had his client been ‘forthcoming’ with police and the officer said he had.
He said McCool had been subjected to personal attacks one of which was life threatening and had the device for defensive purposes.
The District Judge Mr. Barney McElholm said that it appeared McCool had ‘annoyed some dangerous people’.
He granted him bail of £1000, ordered him to wear a tag, observe a curfew and also prohibited him from researching on the Internet for anything to do with weapons or explosives. he was also ordered to give the PSNI access to any computer he may have if asked to do so.
McCool will appear in court again on September 13.
