A man who bought a stun gun on Facebook was caught when post workers discovered the suspicious parcel.
Bertram Finnie attempted to purchase the weapon from Guangdong Province in China on Facebook Marketplace on July 9 2018.
Aberdeen Sheriff Court heard how the 28-year-old was caught by postal officials after they examined the suspicious parcel.
He was attempting to send it to his home on Crimon Place, Aberdeen.
Stun guns, which deliver an electric shock via two prongs, are legal in many parts of the world but are classed as weapons in the UK and subject to restrictions under the Firearms Act.
‘He knew it was a stun gun when he purchased it’
Fiscal depute Sean Ambrose said: “The package was opened and examined with a flash light by an officer and deemed to be a stun gun.
“After being made safe by the officer the weapon was seized and transferred to Police Scotland.
“On Saturday 16 November 2019 police tracked the accused to his home address where he was cautioned, arrested and interviewed whereby he admitted purchasing the weapon over Facebook Marketplace.
“The accused admitted knowing it was a stun gun when he purchased it.”
Finnie’s lawyer John MacLeod told Aberdeen Sheriff Court his client had immediately admitted to police that he had purchased the weapon.
Sheriff Morag McLaughlin deferred Finnie’s sentencing until next month in order for a criminal justice social work report to be carried out.
