A BONHILL man who told police he needed a disguised stun gun for his “protection” has been jailed for five years.

William Somerville, 29, was caught with the weapon in the car park of the Lomond Park Hotel in Balloch on January 5, 2019.

Police were called after Somerville was seen with the stun gun.

He admitted having the firearm - which was disguised as a torch - and even said: “It is for my protection.”

But he still went to trial and was convicted of firearms offences.

On Monday, at the High Court in Edinburgh, judge Lord Harrower told Somerville that firearms legislation required him to be sent to prison.

He added: “You are sentenced to five years imprisonment.”

At proceedings last month, prosecutor Mark McGuire told jurors that there was enough evidence to convict Somerville.

Speaking about how the stun gun appeared, Mr McGuire said: “The only logical and reasonable conclusion is that it has been made to look like a torch, and that this was done to prevent it being recognised as a stun gun.

“I would suggest it is so an observer does not recognise, does not appreciate, does not realise that what he or she has before them is not a simple torch but is, rather, a dangerous weapon.”

Somerville was also convicted of having the disguised stun gun without a firearms certificate.

On Monday, defence advocate Tony Lenehan told the court that his client was hard working and had to deal with problems in his life.

Mr Lenehan added: “His journey into adulthood was unhappy.”

Lord Harrower also gave Somerville 12 months for possessing the weapon without a firearms certificate. However, this sentence is to run concurrently with the five year term.