Published: September 16, 2008
Bomb-making man given community order in Burnham-On-Sea

An autistic teenager who produced explosives in his garden shed and caused the evacuation of hundreds of homes in Wiltshire last year has been put on a community order with a mental health requirement in Burnham-On-Sea.

Thomas Cowley, whose experiments attracted national media attention in June 2007 when he caused the evacuation of homes in Wootton Bassett, will have to live under the care of a doctor at Stafford Lodge (pictured right), an autistic home in Burnham.

The 20-year-old, who has Asperger's syndrome, was arrested last year after an ambulance was called to his home when he became overcome by fumes.

When the fire brigade saw he had been using chemicals in a shed, they quickly called in the bomb squad after noticing what was being stored there.

Colin Meeke, prosecuting, told Swindon Crown Court that the most worrying chemical was triacetone thriperoxide. He said the chemical was a very unstable explosive often used by terrorists, including as a detonator by the July 7th bombers in London.

Cowley had also been making nitro-glycerine and nitrocellulose in the shed. Mr Meeke said there was absolutely no question of any other criminal intent or terrorist reason for the defendant's work.

"This defendant clearly has a fascination with explosions. He said he started doing it to give his air gun more thrust," he said.

He said the incident caused massive inconvenience to residents of Wootton Bassett, many of whom had to spend hours away from their homes.

Cowley pleaded guilty to four counts of making an explosive substance and one of possession. The bomb-making charges related to a period between September 2006 through to June 29th 2007.

Virginia Cornwell, defending, said her client had recently been diagnosed as having life-long Asperger's syndrome. She said he had spent more than 300 days in custody after fleeing to Canada while on bail.

Passing sentence, Judge Douglas Field said: "I have decided that not withstanding the fact that there is an element of risk in making a community order, I am going to make a community order with a mental health requirement."

"Your solicitors should be commended for the tremendous effort they have put in getting a placement at Stafford Lodge with funding."

"I have read a great deal about you and I am satisfied that you suffer from a psychopathic disorder, namely Asperger's. Having read all these reports I have decided not to make a formal hospital order or give you a further custodial sentence. It is my belief that you do need education and encouragement to engage with the real world."

"Stafford Lodge seems to be the ideal place for you to reside and it is going to be funded. I should allow you to take advantage of that rather than any other sort of sentence."

He imposed a two-year community order with a mental health requirement for that period under the direction of a doctor at Stafford Lodge. The facility is run by Homes Caring For Autism Limited.