Criminals turn from bullets to stun guns

As the row grows over equipping British police with Taser stun guns, increasing numbers of criminals are themselves turning to such weapons in an attempt to avoid harsh sentences for possessing firearms and replica guns, according to a senior intelligence officer.

The National Criminal Intelligence Service (NCIS) said it was receiving more and more reports of stun guns being intercepted by the postal service or recovered during police searches for drugs. The "upsurge" may be linked to a mandatory five-year jail sentence for prohibited firearms announced by the Government earlier this year. Alan Shiers of the NCIS firearms crime section said: "Those committing robberies and other crimes probably think the stun gun has the same effect of disabling the victim but that they would receive a much [lesser] sentence for it."

NCIS research reveals that criminals are already developing homemade stun guns which are potentially lethal. Costing around £350 and resembling toy ray guns, the weapons cause muscle spasms and temporary paralysis to victims who are knocked to the ground when they receive a 50,000-volt electric shock.

Campaigners have criticised plans by British police to use them as an alternative to firearms because of safety fears. Five forces are currently conducting 12-month Taser trials despite the publication of a report last year by the Police Scientific Research Board which highlighted potential risks to pregnant women and people with heart conditions.