Marine faces trial over plot to bomb lawyers

A FORMER Royal Marine is due to stand trial charged with plotting to plant a bomb in the heart of London’s legal district.

Michael Broddle, 45, allegedly conspired with a 17-year-old boy last September to place a device at Gray’s Inn, one of the four historic Inns of Court in London.

It is claimed the pair intended to ‘induce another to believe it was likely to explode or ignite thereby causing injury to person or property’. Broddle faces two further charges of possessing an explosive substance. The pair have pleaded not guilty to all the charges and face a two-week trial this year.

The case has gone largely unreported, but The Mail on Sunday understands it is likely to attract interest due to Broddle’s former career in the Armed Forces and the iconic location where the device was allegedly placed.

Broddle, from Hounslow, West London, served as a Royal Marine commando for more than 11 years between 1994 and 2005.

He appeared last November at a hearing at the Old Bailey in London via videolink from HMP Wandsworth, while the teenager attended in person.

Broddle and the youth, who cannot be named for legal reasons, allegedly placed an object described as ‘device 1’ at Gray’s Inn on or before September 17. The teenager is accused of having the device in ‘such circumstances as to give rise to a reasonable suspicion’ he did not have it for a lawful purpose.

Broddle is also accused of possessing an explosive substance referred to as ‘device one’ and ‘device two’ on September 14.

Judge Mark Lucraft QC, the Recorder of London, has set a two-week trial to start on October 24. Broddle remains in custody. The youth remains on conditional bail.