Explosives suspect in court
TEENAGER ACCUSED OF MAKING ‘ROCKET CANDY’
A TEENAGER has appeared in court accused of making the explosive substance “rocket candy” after a fire in Northumberland.
The 17-year-old appeared before magistrates sitting at Newcastle Crown Court charged with arson recklessly endangering life and making or having explosives in suspicious circumstances.
The teen, who cannot be named for legal reasons, did not indicate a plea during the hearing yesterday.
He was told he had been charged with making an explosive substance – a “mixture of sugar and nitrate called ‘rocket candy,’ giving rise to reasonable suspicion he was not making it for ‘a lawful purpose.’”
The boy, described in court as “exceptionally intelligent”, is also accused of arson recklessly endangering life.
Prosecutor Lesley Burgess said he was charged with the offences after a fire in the small village of Glanton on Tuesday, March 5.
She told the court: “There was an explosive substance found at an address. The fire brigade were called, everyone had to leave the property and a 50-metre cordon was put up.”
The teenager was remanded into youth detention until his next appearance at North Tyneside Youth Court on Wednesday, March 13.
Shortly before 9pm on Tuesday, the Northumberland Fire and Rescue Service called police to a fire at an address in Glanton.
Officers attended and say a number of potentially hazardous substances were found inside the property.
An investigation took place to identify the substances, with bomb disposal experts, specialist search teams and forensic investigators working in a cordoned-off area of the village on Wednesday and Thursday.
One resident said: “This sort of thing just doesn’t happen round here.
“The last time we saw any police round here was when Raoul Moat was found in Rothbury.
“Nothing goes on here – there’s not even bother in the pub.”