United pilot caught with stun gun avoids jail time
A US airline pilot has escaped a jail sentence after he was caught in possession of a high voltage stun gun at Edinburgh Airport .
In January, captain Ryan Cecil, 56, was found with the stun gun in his carry-on bag as he went through security to pilot a United Airlines flight back to New York.
Cecil claimed to security officers it was a torch, but admitted it was a ‘firearm’ under Scottish law after armed police were called.
Prosecutor Matthew Miller said: “The security officer had taken the stun gun and alerted his supervisor. Multiple security staff attended after it was identified as a stun gun and accordingly police officers were also contacted to attend.”
“This is due to the stun gun being a firearm.”
The pilot was detained for two nights and appeared at Edinburgh court.
He appeared back in court this week and pleaded guilty to possessing a prohibited weapon.
“He fully accepts this was gross carelessness and the item in question is not a regulated item in the United States. Had he been aware it was in his bag, he would have removed it,” lawyer Mathew Nicholson
Nicholson said Cecil has been a commercial pilot for 23 years with a clean record.
Cecil was ordered to pay a fine of £8,500, avoiding a custodial sentence.
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