A Kingston man has been jailed after he was found to have stockpiled dangerous chemicals at his home, causing several small explosions.
London police began investigating Michael Pym-Nixson, 54, of St George’s Road, Kingston, in March 2021 after he received treatment for “suspicious” burn injuries that he claimed had been inflicted by fireworks.
Following an investigation led by the Met’s Counter Terrorism Command, Pym-Nixson was arrested on March 21 2021 and his property was searched, with officers finding kilos of “substances that, when mixed, are known to create explosive materials.”
Pym-Nixson pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing explosive substances (contrary to section 4 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883) at Southwark Crown Court on Wednesday 3 November.
The Kingston man was was jailed for three years and seven months at Southwark Crown Court on Tuesday, 5 April. The Met confirmed that there was no evidence indicating that “Pym-Nixson was creating explosive material for any malign purpose, or had any intention to make an improvised explosive device (IED).”
Commander Richard Smith, who leads the Counter Terrorism Command, said in a statement: “Pym-Nixson experimented with highly dangerous chemicals in uncontrolled conditions. His reckless actions put himself and others at risk, and could easily have resulted in a serious fire or explosion.
“This case further highlights how important it is for the public to report suspicious behaviour to police, so we can keep the public safe. We would urge anyone with concerns about anyone in their neighbourhood who they believe is committing crime to call police straight away – we will act.”
