Teen warned of danger of weapons, gets 100 hours Community Service

Friday 02 August 2019

No matter how innocent a person's interest in weapons might be, they will always pose a temptation to hurt someone, a Judge in the Magistrates Court has warned, after sentencing an 18-year-old to Community Service for making his own taser.

Max James will now have to complete 100 hours of unpaid work because Guernsey Police found him in possession of a .22 rifle and a homemade taser, even though he does not have a firearms licence.

They were at his house on the 26 June after his parents contacted the police station with concerns over the taser. On searching a shed used by James, the officers found a number of items including knives, a meat cleaver and a bullet proof vest. The defendant was later charged over the taser and the rifle. 

The court heard how James had an interest in weapons, and never planned to hurt anyone.

But Judge Gary Perry said, while he accepted people could have innocent interests in anything, when it came down to it, weapons were made with the sole purpose of hurting people. So, while James may not have ever planned to cause harm, he could have faced a moment of temptation in the future. 

"If the police found you in the same way on a another occasion, I have no doubt they would act in the same way," he said.

"The danger of weapons is the fact that they pose a temptation. Weapons only have one purpose; taking the life of another person." 

Judge Perry told James he would not be sending him to prison on this occasion, but that he 'had to recognise the risk' creating weapons put him and others at. 

The defendant will have to complete 100 hours of community service now. If he breaches this, he will reappear before the court for re-sentencing. 

The forfeiture and destruction of the weapons was also ordered.

Pictured top: The Royal Court of Guernsey.