Bomb squad swoop on Wild West fan after gunpowder used for re-enactments found in his garden shed
6 個月前
A Wild West fan has avoided jail after gunpower used for historical re-enactments was discovered in his garden shed - leading to a bomb squad swooping at his home.
Tony Wooley, 62, sparked the the evacuation of several properties along his quiet suburban street after his sister told police he had been making explosives.
A court heard officers descended on the HGV driver's home and found a device in his sister's bedroom they thought may have made a bomb.
But it turned out it was a sound box - used for 'quick draw gun duels' - and was part of Woolley's hobby, his involvement in Wild West re-enactments.
Seven bottles of black powder, which is in effect gunpowder, was also found in his shed and home on Poplar Avenue, in leafy Sutton Coldfield, West Mids.
Army bomb disposal units spent several hours examining the scene following the discovery of the "suspicious items" on April 25 this year.
Wild West enthusiast Wooley previously admitted acquiring explosives without a valid explosives certificate and manufacturing ammunition without approval.
Today (Thurs) he was sentenced to six months in jail, suspended for 18 months and ordered to pay £400 costs at Birmingham Crown Court.
Patrick Sullivan, prosecuting, said: "It was on the morning of 25 April this year that officers executed a search warrant at the home of Woolley.
"There were primed cartridges, blank cartridges and spent cartridges surrounding a workshop that was used by Woolley in pursuit of his hobby which was the Wild West."
Mr Sullivan said Wooley was part of a group who took part in re-enactments of the Wild West using costumes and firearms which also involved 'quick draw duels.'
But he said the gunpowder could also have been used in live firearms and Woolley should have had a licence for the acquisition and use of explosives because of their lethal potential.
He added: "There was also a timing device that police thought was a bomb which led to concern and the calling of the bomb disposal team."
Sentencing, Judge Melbourne Inman KC said: "On April 25 there was a significant police operation that came to your home where they found you were in possession of very nearly four kilos of explosive material, described variously as black powder or gun powder.
"You were also in the process of manufacturing, in effect, blank ammunition.
"There was also concern you were making an explosive device which created a very significant incident, with people being moved out and the bomb quad had to come to your home."
He said it was "amateurish possession of dangerous materials" but there was no criminal intent and was for an "innocent purpose" as part of his hobby.
Oliver Woolhouse, defending, said Woolley had been with the group for 20 years which also did charitable works.
He said he had already drawn national attention to himself when his street had to be closed off.
He said officers going to the address had been the result of his sister, who he had fallen out with, making a report to police that he kept weapons there.
Mr Woolhouse added: "When the police attended police carried out a search in his sister's bedroom and found what they believed to be an IED which turned out to be a sound device."
相關影片推薦
- 1:47誰替吳秉叡代投票? 葉元之公布影片:疑似楊曜|#鏡新聞鏡新聞43,341 次觀看・6 小時前
- 00940該越跌越買?高勝率ETF投資組合這樣買進擊的荷包74,160 次觀看・1 週前
- 1:35已婚男帶女子住高檔摩鐵 突然猝死妻錯愕|#鏡新聞鏡新聞14,026 次觀看・1 天前
- 2:01長榮海運紀念品贈「薄毯」 股民趕上班前領取華視影音58,594 次觀看・7 小時前
- 1:28兒媳搶家產 打人 還趕公公出門? 竹北紅布條引熱議東森新聞影音257,512 次觀看・1 天前
- 2:24烏克蘭98歲阿嬤逃戰火 靠拖鞋、拐杖獨自步行10公里 從「二戰存活如今卻一無所有」Yahoo奇摩(國際通)13,838 次觀看・8 小時前
- 2:16美大學挺巴勒斯坦學運升級 UCLA示威者遭毆、營地被投擲煙火 警方進駐鎮壓Yahoo奇摩(國際通)15,429 次觀看・8 小時前
- 1:4131歲接家業! 殷琪婚姻兩度觸礁又未婚生子民視影音546,188 次觀看・2 天前
- 1:44返台前恐已擬好計畫! 自救會嘆「得償困難」|#鏡新聞鏡新聞2,086 次觀看・1 天前
- 2:09追到加拿大! 美鷹會.華青幫聯手追債貴婦奈奈華視影音62,062 次觀看・7 小時前