Smethwick pizza shop owner kept stun gun at home 'for novelty value'

Police officers raided a property in Oldbury where Saeed Shamedani was living and found the weapon, which was disguised as a mobile phone.

Shamedani, aged 36, claims he bought the stun gun at a shop in Smethwick soon after moving to the UK from Iran in the mid-2000s but had no intention of using it.

The takeaway boss, now of no fixed abode, admitted possession of the weapon at Wolverhampton Crown Court on Wednesday and was jailed for two years.

Shamedani said he had not charged the stun gun since buying it eight or nine years ago - but when officers found it after the search on March 25 this year it was fully charged and 'worked straight away'.

Saul Brody, prosecuting, said: "It would be very surprising to think any retail premises in Smethwick would sell this weapon.

"Officers found the stun gun disguised as a mobile phone located in a black box in a chest of drawers in the main bedroom.

"There was a charging cable with it in the box and after examination it was found it was charged."

Jonathan Barker, defending, said Shamedani claimed he had not charged the phone for eight years but Judge Michael Challinor refused to accept this explanation.

Judge Challinor said: "I can't accept that somebody buys a stun gun and then somebody else, without their knowledge, decides to charge it and not tell them."

Mr Barker said Shamedani was now a British citizen after moving from Iran around a decade ago.

He has 'worked tirelessly' to run his shop - F1 Pizza in Smethwick - since taking over in 2006.

Shamedani has been in prison since March, but Mr Barker said 'he has done everything he can to educate himself - that's all he does from Monday to Friday'.

"He maintains that he bought the item from a shop in Smethwick, not knowing it was illegal and had only recently come to the UK."

Mr Barker said the stun gun was packaged and there was no intention to use it, with Shamedani keeping the weapon 'for novelty value'.

Jailing Shamedani for two years, Judge Challinor said: "You are not simply a man of good character, you're a man of exceptionally good character.

"You are exceptionally hard working and an asset to the community in which you live.

"It's a real tragedy that you stand before the court today because of this offence."

The judge also ordered the weapon be destroyed.