Man caught with child abuse images after bomb squad locked down Midlothian street

A man whose obsession with fireworks caused an entire street to be locked down by specialist explosives officers was found to have hundreds of child abuse images.

Ryan O’Donnell was caught after police were called to a property in Loanhead, Midlothian on April 19 last year.

The High Court in Edinburgh heard officers found large quantities of chemicals which could be used to manufacture explosives. The substances could have caused a major explosion to engulf the surrounding area and pose a risk to public safety.

This caused the street to be locked down whilst law enforcement made the surrounding area safe. A bomb disposal unit was called to the street to help support officers.

The 37-year-old stored the substances, including potassium nitrate, nitrogen and sulphur, at his home.

A rocket diagram plan was discovered alongside notebooks, which contained handwritten instructions that would allow an individual to prepare viable, high-explosive substances.

Details on how to make homemade fireworks were also found alongside a Kinder egg containing a low-explosive substance.

Detectives then seized computers belonging to O’Donnell, and they checked the IT devices to see if he had links to terrorism – but found hundreds of child abuse images.

O’Donnell claimed to be in possession of the chemicals and substances because he liked to make fireworks.

Prosecutors accepted O’Donnell’s explanation, and he pleaded guilty to three charges including two for child abuse images before Judge Lady Poole at the High Court in Edinburgh last month.

This charge stated that he possessed “explosive substances” which could be used in the “manufacture of explosive substances” without a “lawful” reason.

The court heard O’Donnell, a prisoner of HMP Edinburgh, had problems with alcohol.

Passing sentence, Lady Poole handed O’Donnell a custodial term of 44 months. She also ordered him to be supervised by the authorities for 12 months following his release from custody.

She added: “It appears that you were making fireworks as a hobby. Nevertheless, what you did and how you stored these substances gave risk of risk to people and property.

“With regards to child [abuse images], it is a form of exploitation for children.

“The court takes offences of this type seriously. Due to the nature and seriousness of the offences to which you have pleaded guilty to, there is no other way of dealing with you than the imposition of a custodial sentence.”

Lady Poole also placed O’Donnell on the Sex Offenders Register for ten years.