LIVERPOOL

A policeman was zapped when he discovered a stun gun disguised as a torch in a taxi driver's car.

Mum-of-five Jayne Bird lied by claiming she had no idea it was a weapon after the officer suffered the electric shock.

But the Delta Taxis driver avoided a minimum five-year jail sentence because of the impact it would have on her autistic son.

Liverpool Crown Court heard the officer stopped Bird's car in Stanley Road, Bootle at around 10.40am on June 7 this year.

Paul Blasbery, prosecuting, said he pulled over the 43-year-old's Ford Focus estate as part of a routine taxi licensing inspection.

The policeman then spotted what he believed to be a torch, wedged in the space between the driver's seat and door.

When he attempted to pull the torch out, he received a shock up his right arm, leaving him in immense pain.

He arrested Bird, who in a custody suite holding area said: "It came through customs from China, I didn't think it would get through."

However, the mum later suggested she meant she was surprised an item like that could be imported, after buying it for £8 online.

She told officers she wanted a strong torch to use for her job at night, not a weapon for protection from aggressive passengers.

But she accepted that when she first tested the torch and pressed a button, it made a noise and vibrated.

Bird, of Marina Crescent, Bootle, who has no previous convictions, admitted possession of a disguised firearm, on the basis she did not know it was a stun gun.

This claim was rejected by prosecutors and a Newton hearing - a form of mini-trial to establish disputed facts - had to be held.

A firearms examiner found the 23.5cm "Mag Lite" style torch, with Chinese symbols on, had a switch to turn on the torch or arm the stun function.

It could then be activated with a button on the other side, producing bright blue sparks.

Mr Blasbery said: "He said it was a non-lethal, self-defence weapon, designed to deliver electric shocks capable of causing pain and distress, which may result in burns and scarring when the electrodes are placed in contact with exposed or clothed skin."

Judge Robert Trevor-Jones ruled against Bird, saying he found her claims "incredible" and that she knew it was a weapon.

He said Bird wanted it for self-defence when alone and vulnerable, if she was confronted by violent passengers.

The policeman suffered pins and needles in his hand, and a burning sensation inside his wrist and arm.

He underwent an electrocardiogram, which came back clear, but said his wife and son were upset by the time he spent in hospital.

The officer endured a sleepless night due to the pain and was left anxious about searching vehicles.

Mr Blasbery said: "He's always nervous he may come across something that could injure him again.

"His wife, when he's in work, gets very worried when he calls her, in case something may have happened to him."

Stun guns are firearms subject to a minimum five-year jail sentence, unless there are "exceptional circumstances".

Bird, who used a walking stick in the dock, suffers from chronic pain condition fibromyalgia and a sleeping disorder.

Jayne Bird, 43, of Marina Crescent, Bootle, (right) admitted possession of a disguised firearm (Image: Lynda Roughley)

Charlotte Kenny, defending, said she was a woman of "positive good character", who voluntarily worked with special needs children.

She said what was "really exceptional" was her role as the primary carer for her 12-year-old son, who has autism.

Ms Kenny said the boy had a full-time support worker and went to special school, but a stable routine was extremely important.

She said: "The stability Mrs Bird provides is so important, the health professional working with him describes the potential effect as catastrophic if she goes into custody."

Judge Trevor-Jones said the officer suffered "excruciating pain" when inadvertently shocked by the weapon, underlining its danger.

But he said Bird's son had "extremely challenging" behaviour and if the bond between them was broken, it could be "catastrophic".

The judge handed her 18 months in jail, suspended for 18 months, with a 10-day rehabilitation course and 160 hours of unpaid work.

https://goo.gl/nXy6r6
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Taxi drivers in Wokingham and West Berkshire are set to be forced to pay more for their licences in changes made to bring prices to identical levels with Bracknell.

Private hire drivers could be forced to pay up to £120 more for new licences or licence renewals when changes are voted on by the council following a consultation.

This comes after the News revealed taxi drivers are being hit hard by Uber drivers who do not need to pay for a licence with the council, despite being able to pick up passengers in the area.

Labour councillor Rachel Burgess said some of the changes were “steep” at a meeting of Wokingham Borough Council’s licensing committee, and the Norreys councillor later told the News: “I proposed that in these cases the increases should be phased over a period of years to avoid a sharp and unexpected rise in fees next year.

“I am also concerned that the licensing committee as a whole will not be reviewing any objections raised as a result of the imminent consultation on fees and charges – it will be up to the chairperson alone to take a view on any objections and set the final fees to be recommended to Council, rather than the full committee.

“My Conservative and Lib Dem colleagues seemed content with this – I was not.”

Hackney Carriage vehicles and private hire vehicle licences are set to increase in price from £161 to £289, with temporary vehicle licences and private hire licences with dispensation also set to see increases of more than £60 and £120 respectively.

Liberal Democrats councillor Lindsay Ferris said: “There needs to be justification to show why the price has gone up.”

The price increases take into account cost recovery amounts of £55 an hour, and fellow Lib Dem Cllr Rachelle Shepherd-DuBey added that the price increases make business-sense claiming she “did not disagree with cost recovery”.

A report produced for the council read: “The 2018/19 fees and charges for hackney carriage and private hire licences shows a significant disparity between the former West Berkshire (Council) and Wokingham (Borough Council) fee structure and the Bracknell (Forest Council) fee structure, in respect of vehicle and operator licensing.

“Driver rates have remained in line with inflation and have been brought into line across the three Public Protection Partnership Councils.”

Conservative councillor Malcolm Richards said: “We should not have a cost that is so unattractive that people are not registering at all.”

Fellow Conservative councillor Mike Haines asked how many vehicles these changes will affect and an officer claimed that up to 1,000 licence holders would see price increases across Wokingham, Bracknell and West Berkshire.

A consultation on the price increases is set to take place after the Wokingham Borough Council licensing committee decided to move the suggestions to the next phase.

Fee changes were also proposed for animal licences, including pet shop licences, dangerous animal licences and dog breeding licences.

Previously animal licenses were only applicable in Bracknell, but these changes will make them available in Wokingham and West Berkshire too.

https://goo.gl/6zJLN6