A DOUBLE burglary victim who brought a taser for his own protection has been jailed after it was discovered in a bag he was planning to take to prison.

Kevin Gill was going to Colchester Magistrates’ Court after being charged with separate driving offences and, fearing he would be hit with a custodial sentence, asked his partner to pack a bag to for him to take to jail.

In her rush, she picked up the taser thinking it was a mobile phone.

Security guards at the St Botolph’s Circus court discovered the stun gun in his bag and raised the alarm.

Gill was arrested and admitted possession of an illegal taser in September at a later hearing.

Rakesh Sharma, mitigating said: “He has a long history of a battle with alcohol abuse.

“There was a significant event where his house was broken into and he was badly assaulted and a similar event occurred last year which has left him with mobility problems and severe anxiety.

“He struggles to organise his life.

“There was never any intention to take it out in public and he had ordered it off the internet to give him peace of mind at home.”

Gill, of Berefield Walk, Colchester, has a string of previous convictions including prohibited possession of an air rifle in 2012.

Judge Christopher Morgan jailed Gill for 15 months.

He said: “You simply cannot have something like that in your possession.

“Nobody should be at risk of harm in such a public building especially staff tasked with searching people who come into the magistrates’ court.”

Judge Morgan said he was sceptical about Gill’s story that he did not have any idea the stun gun was in the bag, because there was a number of other items which he wanted with him in prison, but said he was prepared to give him the benefit of the doubt.

The 48-year-old had been due to appear at Chelmsford Crown Court first thing in the morning, but did not appear until after 2pm after Judge Morgan had issued a warrant for his arrest.

He was briefly taken to the court cells and a day was added to his sentence but it will run at the same time.