A man who stockpiled chemicals and bomb-making instructions before calling police and telling them he was going to blow up staff at businesses he had a dispute with, has been told he faces jail.
Patrick McCabe sparked a mass evacuation and forced bomb squads to carry out a series of controlled explosions at his flat in Dundee on December 5 last year.
He phoned the city’s police control centre around 11pm and said he was ex-SAS and had “purchased electrical components, a digital soldering iron and a book on improvised explosives, ammunition and guns”.
He said he was in a dispute with a bank and a telecommunications company and that police had not taken his complaints seriously.
As a result, he planned to find out where staff parked their cars before planting bombs beneath their vehicles.
Fiscal depute Eilidh Robertson told Dundee Sheriff Court police attended his flat in Fairbairn Street and found chemicals in his freezer.
Miss Robertson said: “The accused stated on the phone he had started making bombs and was ‘going to shoot some ********’. He claimed he was ex-22nd Special Air Service.
“When police attended he stated he had purchased a book on how to make bombs and bought equipment to make explosives.
“A search warrant was granted and police were assisted by members of the army bomb disposal squad. Residents in the block were evacuated and a cordon put in place.
“A number of chemical mixtures were found in his freezer and gave cause for concern as they were thought to be precursor elements for an explosive mixture. A number of controlled explosions took place.
“The chemicals were later examined by a specialist lab. Although a number of chemicals could have been used to make explosives, further chemicals would have been required.”
McCabe, 65, a prisoner at Perth, pleaded guilty on indictment to a charge of threatening and abusive behaviour.
Defence solicitor John Boyle said: “He accepts that the period in custody — though not of his choosing — has been of some assistance for him. He is receiving help and medication while in there.”
Sheriff Alastair Brown deferred sentence until April 10 for social work background reports and remanded McCabe in custody meantime.
He said: “From his point of view I’m not sure custody is the right place for him. From the public’s point of view, I can’t think of anywhere else.”
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