A JUDGE sent out a warning to people who carry stun guns: "It's a prison sentence."

Judge Sean Morris made the remark as he dealt with Darlington man Jordan Worley for having a Taser.

Worley's prison sentence was suspended because his device did not work and it was found by police in a bag of odds and ends in his bedroom.

Teesside Crown Court heard that the 20-year-old got the gun from a friend and tried to charge it, but it would not work so he discarded it.

Dan Cordey, mitigating, said it was in a bag with old chargers and other electricals.

Mr Cordey said: "He is a young man, and I don't think I'm doing him any disservice by saying he is not particularly bright.

"He had it, gave no thought whatsoever to the consequences or legality or anything like that, and simply discarded it in a bag when it did not work.

"What intention did he have? Probably just juvenile curiosity.

"He is on the cusp of leaving this behind – which he has done for over a year now – and get on with a law-abiding life, or risk getting involved in things like this further."

Judge Morris told the out-of-work roofer: "For goodness sake, just buckle down and I don't want to see you again.

"Before this happened, you had a couple of conditional discharges for minor matters.

"I'm afraid these implements are only for the police. They are not for the public.

"I do accept that this was more stupidity than criminality, but the public need to know: you get one of these things in your hands and it's a prison sentence, and if you have it on the streets, you go away.

"You didn't have it on the streets, it was in your house and it didn't work."

Worley, of Paddock Lane, Darlington, admitted possessing a prohibited weapon and was given a six-month jail sentence, suspended for 18 months, with 100 hours of unpaid community work.

Prosecutor Nigel Soppitt told the court that Worley was stopped by police last October, and drugs were found on him. When officers searched his home, they found the weapon.

Mr Cordey said: This was something that didn't work. No use was made of it. He said a friend had given him it, but it was useless."