A MAN who police had to subdue with a 50,000 volt taser has been given suspended prison sentences totalling 24 weeks.

Colin Adwent

A MAN who police had to subdue with a 50,000 volt taser has been given suspended prison sentences totalling 24 weeks.

Bury St Edmunds magistrates heard Julian Stock was carrying two imitation firearms when he was confronted by armed officers after leaving the Royal Oak pub in Ipswich Street, Stowmarket.

Prosecutor Emma Lister said Stock had gone to the pub on January 18 carrying a pillow case which he placed on a chair. Witnesses told police they heard a clunking noise.

The 46-year-old then produced a tea towel which contained a silver gun. Stock put it in his jacket pocket and went into the main part of the pub.

Miss Lister stressed Stock never produced or brandished the gun while inside the bar.

When he left the pub the court heard he was stopped by armed officers and a dog unit who had been sent to the scene.

The officers challenged Stock. He began to run off, but was stopped. He then threw the pillowcase at the officers, who discharged a taser causing Stock to fall to the ground.

When he was arrested two BB guns were found on him - a G1 Airshot BB pistol and a 177 calibre G10 BB gun.

Miss Lister said eight days earlier Stock had assaulted a police officer.

At 1.15pm on January 10 his Mitsubishi 4x4 was stopped after police received a message that he may have been drinking.

When Stock tried to run off he was caught and returned to the vehicle. He was put in the back seat while a PC Goldsmith checked to see if Stock's keys were still in the ignition. As he did so Stock swore at him and tried to strike him.

The attempted assault was blocked by another officer, a Pc McDermott, who had a can of beer swung at him by Stock.

He then spat at Pc Goldsmith hitting him on the head, the court heard.

Stock, who spent three weeks in custody, pleaded guilty at a hearing on January 20 to assaulting a police constable, causing alarm, harassment or distress and two counts of possession of an imitation firearm in a public place.

At his sentencing yesterday, his solicitor David Stewart said Stock, of Helston, Cornwall, was sorry for what he had done.

Mr Stewart said his client had left Stowmarket to get away from peer pressure and to deal with his alcohol problem.

Mr Stewart added: “His only reason to return is to see his children aged 14 and 22.”

The court heard Stock, who has 13 previous convictions for 30 offences - three of which were for violence, had fallen back into his old ways when he returned to the town last month.

Chairman of the bench David Lockwood sentenced Stock to 16 weeks in jail, suspended for 18 months, for each of the firearms offences. These are to run concurrently.

He was also given a 12-month supervision order and told he must do 150 hours of unpaid work.

Stock was given and eight-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, to run consecutively to the firearms sentencing for the assault on Pc Goldsmith. A further 12-month supervision order and 150 hours of unpaid work are to run concurrently.

Pc Goldsmith was awarded �150 compensation.

colin.adwent@eadt.co.uk