A man who sparked a bomb scare in an Angus village told police he regularly made devices to smoke out rabbits.
Residents in Glamis were forced to evacuate after police uncovered a coffee jar and bottle containing suspect white powder at the home of 48-year-old James Boyd.
Fire crews and bomb disposal experts were scrambled to the scene in October 2023.
The white powder was revealed to be potassium nitrate and sucrose, some of which was contained in toilet tubes and sealed with electrical tape.
Boyd was arrested and openly told police he regularly made smoke bombs, with ingredients bought from Amazon.
‘I’ve made a bomb’
Boyd stood trial at the High Court in Dundee accused of storing materials with the intent of endangering life or causing serious injury as well as making threats to bomb his ex-wife and her partner.
His friend Stewart Craig, 45, claimed Boyd said “I’ve made a bomb” when he and his wife Kimberley visited Boyd’s Dundee Road home.
When questioned by advocate depute Brian Bell, Mr Craig said: “It was an old coffee jar. There was white substance in the jar.
“I didn’t know what it was.
“He just said it was a bomb but I didn’t know what was actually in the jar.
“He said it was going to go through two people in Arbroath. He was going to put them through the letterbox (of his ex-wife and her new partner).
“He said he bought them from Amazon.”
Mr Bell asked: “What were you thinking when you were hearing this?” to which Mr Craig replied: “Disturbed to be quite fair. Upset.”
Falling out
The court heard how Boyd and Mr Craig had fallen out over money that was to be paid to Mr Craig via Carer’s Allowance.
It was claimed that an agreement was in place for Mr Craig to be Boyd’s carer and in exchange for money, he would take Boyd to visit friends and associates in Arbroath.
Defence counsel Neil Beardmore KC quizzed Mr Craig on why he waited almost a month to report the incident to the police.
“He didn’t pay you the money that you thought was due so the reason you waited a month was no reason other than you and he had a falling out,” Mr Beardmore said.
Mr Craig replied: “We didn’t have a major fall-out. It was nothing to do with the bombs being made.”
In her evidence, Kimberley Craig said Boyd claimed all the bombs would need was a wick to become effective.
“I was just shocked,” she told the court.
“I don’t know him that well so I didn’t know if he intended to do anything.
“I think there was a falling out but they started speaking again. I just stayed out of it.”
Urged police to check his Amazon order
Boyd was walking his dog on October 5 2023 when he was arrested by police before his house was later searched.
Bomb disposal experts were drafted in and believed it was appropriate for nearby residents to be evacuated while investigations were carried out.
When interviewed by police, Boyd said: “I have these bombs. These are my bombs.”
He claimed he had nothing to do with his former partner “for months” and then described his relationship with Mr Craig.
Boyd said: “Stewart knows I make smoke bombs, even Kimberley knows.
“Stewart became my carer as he approached me as he didn’t want to work with the Job Centre.
“Check my Amazon that’s where I ordered it (potassium nitrate).
“I told him I built smoke bombs and he knows that. He’s known this for well over 10 years.
“It’s a smoke bomb that I was using for rabbit holes.”
He added: “It’s all to do with money. There’s only one smoke bomb in the drawer beside the TV.
“The device in the house has toilet roll holder wrapped with an elastic band with potassium nitrate inside with water and sugar.”
When cautioned and charged, he said: “That’s the biggest load of s***.”
Remanded
During a search of the address, officers uncovered a ring-pull catapult, ball bearings and a membership card for the British Association for Shooting and Conservation (BASC).
The jury found Boyd guilty of behaving in a threatening or abusive manner by making remarks of a threatening nature, repeatedly stating he had built a bomb and showing materials and homemade devices that he said were explosives on various occasions between August 1 and September 30 2023.
A not proven verdict was returned on the separate explosives charge.
Boyd has been remanded in custody at HMP Perth since October 7 2023, the equivalent of a three-and-a-half year sentence.
Judge Paul Brown deferred sentence until next month for a social work report to be obtained with Boyd released on bail to a hotel in Carnoustie meantime.
He told Boyd: “I think any punishment attributable to that offence has been dealt with by that remand.
“I am looking to see if there’s any rehabilitative framework.”
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