Student gets almost four years for bomb threat

A teenager who admitted possessing explosive substances and threatening to bomb his college and kill his fellow students has been sentenced to three years and 11 months in custody.

Police found explosives at Jagger Strang's home, in Stafford, in September. He also admitted accessing material on YouTube about the manufacture of gunpowder and how to make an improvised detonator.

Strang, 18, had been due to go on trial at Leicester Crown Court in May, but pleaded guilty hours before the trial began.

A sentencing hearing at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday heard he had "idolised serial killers" and had "a disturbing fixation with violence".

He was told he would also face extended supervision once he was released from a young offender institution.

Staffordshire Police said officers first became aware of Strang when they were contacted by a safeguarding officer at Stafford College.

The court heard how the then 17-year-old, who was studying woodwork at the college, told other students he had numerous weapons and had planned how he would blow up a classroom.

He was arrested at his home the following day, and officers undertook a search of the property.

Strang's mobile phone was also examined and officers discovered internet searches and videos relating to serial killers, including sharing images on Snapchat of Norwegian domestic terrorist Anders Breivik and the person responsible for a massacre in Crimea.

The court was shown an 18-second video, made by Strang, in which he compared himself to various killers.

In addition, prosecutors said he had accessed various videos on the internet containing "accurate and viable" instructions relating to explosives.

Police found a video, created just minutes before their arrival at his home on 10 September, in which he said he was fine-tuning his gunpowder.

The chemicals had been bought by his mother, thinking they were for a science experiment.

Strang did not have terrorist links, the prosecution stated, but did have a "troubling extremist mindset".

The court also heard Strang had no previous convictions.

Charles Miskin KC, defending, said Strang had accepted responsibility "for the things that he did do".

He was 17 years old at the time of the offences, Miskin said, adding that young people often found it difficult to manage their emotional state.

Strang previously said he struggled to express his distress, and this would lead to behaviour that was impulsive.

Miskin went on to say that his interest in serial killers did not come out of the blue, but was a "reaction to real-life events" and that he had no coping mechanism and a personality that was "obsessive".

"Jagger Strang did not make a bomb, nor did he intend to - he made some gunpowder," Miskin said.

The 18-year-old had a total of about 120g of gunpowder equating to approximately 8-10 tablespoons, the defence said.

Miskin added that videos about weapons were "everywhere" online.

Trial judge Mr Justice Wall told Strang he accepted that he did not intend to make the videos more widely available, but it remained illegal for him to access them.

"You wanted to be like the serial killers," the judge said.

"At the same time, you developed an unhealthy interest in explosives. You acquired the chemicals necessary to make gunpowder and thermite, and you made them."

Wall said there was a "longer-term potential" for harm, given Strang's obsession with serial killers and explosives.

He told the court the chemicals used were "not toys" and were "akin to dangerous weapons".

"This was an extremely concerning case involving a teenager with a clear and troubling fixation on violence," said Det Insp Dave Rowlands.

"The threats he made caused genuine fear among students and staff.

"Thanks to the vigilance of the college community and the swift response from Staffordshire Police, we were able to intervene quickly and prevent any potential harm."