AN ARCTIC explorer's homemade defences against polar bears could have put him in a British prison for five years, a court heard.

Survival skills expert Michael Armstrong, 49, was so moved by the death of a schoolboy on an expedition to Svalbard, north of Norway, he made an experimental bear scarer and "stun gun" at his home at Aireside, Cononley.

York Crown Court yesterday heard he intended them to be used by similar expeditions against polar bears and did not realise that he was breaking UK law.

Armstrong has years of firearms experience, has held responsible positions on Arctic expeditions and taught young people his tracking and outward bound skills, the court was told.

He pleaded guilty to two charges of having prohibited weapons, two of possessing air rifles without a firearms' licence and two of possessing ammunition without a licence.

The Recorder of York, Judge Stephen Ashurst, said both weapons were illegal in Britain and the minimum sentence for having the bear scarer was normally five years.

"I have come to the conclusion yours is an exceptional case," he told Armstrong.

He passed an 18-month prison sentence suspended for two years on condition Armstrong did 200 hours' unpaid work and two years' supervision.

In mitigation, Armstrong's barrister Nick Doherty said he would not get a firearms certificate again and his convictions were likely to stop his work with young people.

"He has effectively lost the life he used to live," said Mr Doherty.

Camille Morland, prosecuting, said Armstrong had held a firearms' licence for several years without any problems, but in May 2013, his mental state caused concern, his licence was revoked and he surrendered several weapons and ammunition.

They did not include the weapons in the charges.

Mr Doherty told the court Armstrong had been "distracted" at the time by family difficulties.

Last November, York Crown Court heard evidence of how expeditions in Svalbard, to the north of Norway, ring their camps with polar bear defences to prevent the animals coming into the tents.

In 2011, Eton schoolboy Horatio Chapple, aged 17, died when he was attacked by a polar bear as he slept in his tent during a British Schools Exploring Society expedition to Svalbard.

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