(Birmingham) A 16-year-old has
been sentenced to 4 years youth custody
after he detonated a bomb inside a supermarket 4 days after the Manchester
bombings which killed 23 people. Thankfully in this case nobody was hurt.
The teenager, who donned a bandana covering the lower part of his face and nose, strolled into the store at about midday on May 27. He went into the supermarket's toilets before placing the explosive - featuring hairspray cans, gas canisters and tape - into a cubicle and detonating it, A cleaner, who spotted the defendant leaving the toilets, soon realised he wasgrasping a blade when he crouched over her and warned her away. She then noticed smoke rising from the toilet area and rushed to raise the alarm with colleagues, the court heard. The teenager fled the store, removing his disguise in an attempt to blend in with panicked Bank Holiday shoppers 'fighting' their way out of the store. The schoolboy was later arrested and revealed to police he had spent the past four weeks visiting anarchist websites, including one with links to Russia, where he discovered how to make the bomb. He disclosed he had not been forced to make the explosive but could not explain why he had targeted the Sainsbury's store during his 'spur of the moment' offending.
Sentencing on Friday, Judge James Burbidge QC said the
teenager was not a terrorist, did not follow any extremist groups and did not
hold any fanatical beliefs. He said: "This was not a random act but a
prepared act. You did not intentionally want to cause harm but it was such a
highly reckless act that it was fortunate people were not caused harm.
"Despite your age, your offending is so serious that nothing but a
substantial custodial sentence is justified."
He was sentenced to four years and four months in custody.
