Determined activists hauled arms traders in front of the courts yesterday in a private prosecution over their attempts to flog illegal weapons in London.

French company Magforce International and Chinese company Tianjin Myway International were banned from the Defence Security and Equipment International (DSEI) arms fair in London last year after being accused of promoting illegal torture weapons by advertising them in their brochures.

The weapons included leg irons, electric stun guns and electric stun batons.