Man given Asbo over bomb-making hobby

A man who had a "bomb workshop" at his Hull home has been given a 10-year anti-social behavior order banning him from owning certain fireworks. Paul Smith, of Holm Garth Drive, was also given a 12-month community order after pleading guilty at Hull Crown Court to owning explosive substances. Smith told police it was a "hobby" when they found two pipe bombs in a workshop at his home earlier this year.

The 40-year-old was even given a bomb-shaped birthday cake, police said. Smith, who also pleaded guilty to one charge of possession of a Class B drug, has been banned from owning flares or fireworks that are not commercially available under the order. During the search, officers had found bomb-making equipment and a number of "sophisticated" explosives. An Army bomb disposal team had to make his house safe, police said.

Det Ch Insp Steve Hibbit, from Humberside Police, said: "We never found any evidence that Mr Smith had any intent to harm anybody, either as a group or an individual. But anybody making devices like that inevitably brings danger to themselves, to others in the immediate vicinity and who's to know how this would've ended up." Smith told police he had an interest in explosives "in the same way that other people have an interest in collecting stamps".

Det Ch Insp Hibbit said: "What is extraordinary is the fact that he was living at home [with his parents] and he was even given a birthday cake in the shape of a bomb. If it wasn't so dangerous it could be comical. He was clearly self-taught using recipes that are readily available to anybody, but it's not a joke. It is a very serious matter."