A RAILWAY station security guard has been fined by magistrates after he was caught with a Taser.

Police discovered the illegal weapon in Shabaz Khan’s bedroom after they searched his Settle Street, Bolton, home on an unrelated matter.

Shazia Aslam, prosecuting, told Bolton magistrates how officers called at the property on July 3 last year.

“The police searched his room and as a result of that search, a black case containing at Taser was found on top of a chest of drawers,” she said.

Khan, aged 24, was arrested, charged with possessing a weapon designed for electrical discharge and pleaded guilty to committing the offence.

Martin Pizzey, defending, stressed that Khan had bought the weapon some time ago and forgotten about it.

And the initially visited his home because they were investigating another crime involving a vehicle where Khan was a named driver on the insurance policy. He was cleared of involvement in that matter.

Mr Pizzey said: “He is not criminally inclined or criminally associated,” adding that Khan has a responsible job working as a security officer at Bolton railway station.

Khan has “no sensible explanation” as to why he had a Taser in his room.

“He said he obtained it many years ago,” said Mr Pizzey. “His interest in gadgets was such that he would fiddle with things.”

Khan was said to have discharged the weapon once into a piece of wood but not used two further cartridges.

“He doesn’t really have any idea or reason now, with a mature way of looking and thinking, why he purchased it at that particular time,” said Mr Pizzey.

“He kept it and didn’t dispose of it and that is his mistake. He effectively forgot it existed.”

He added that the conviction may impact on Khan’s future career as he will have to declare it to the security industry authorities.

“He is very sorry,” said Mr Pizzey

Khan was fined £276 and ordered to pay a £32 victim surcharge and £85 towards prosecution costs.

“There is that saying that curiosity killed the cat and what curiosity has done for you is bring you to court today,” said chairman of the bench, David Batten.

“It was a silly decision to purchase the thing in the first place. You must have known at the time that you shouldn’t do and it was a silly thing to hold onto it.

“You need to go away and think on about the next thing you order off the internet.”