Filton Avenue bomb maker jailed

A loner who turned his Horfield home into a bomb-making factory has been sentenced to five years in prison.

Matthew Glynn was arrested on July 23, after police searched his Filton Avenue property and found a large cache of weapons, including a homemade bomb under his bed, a tennis ball filled with low explosives, and an arsenal of 200 knives, swords, axes and more.

An x-ray of the ‘crude’ bomb

200 swords, axes and knives were found throughout Glynn’s home

Police believe Glynn purchased this ‘particularly horrific’ weapon over the internet

Crude bomb making equipment was found in the property

At the time he started building up the deadly collection, the quiet 37-year-old was spending time on Facebook, where he shared hate-filled propaganda against Muslims and immigrants.

Glynn pleaded guilty to five charges of making explosives, but questions have been raised as to why he was not charged with terrorism-related offences.

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has stated that the case failed to meet the evidence test for terrorism charges.

Reflecting on the case, detective inspector David Lewis, who led the investigation, told Bristol24/7 that it is the first time he has seen anything like this in his police career.

DI Lewis says this is the first time he has seen anything like this in his career

DI Lewis painted a picture of Glynn as a private person, who was cooperative when questioned, telling police he had “an obsession” with the weapons.

Police were tipped off by a member of the public about the 37-year-old who claimed to have a bomb under his bed, and an initial search uncovered bomb-making equipment in Glynn’s bedroom.

Army disposal experts were called in and a major search operation ensued that caused major upheaval, with dozens of residents evacuated from their homes and a busy stretch of Filton Avenue cordoned off for four days.

Residents were asked to leave their homes as the whole street was cordoned off

Describing the scene, DI Lewis said: “Initially, our search concentrated on the bomb that we knew about – a large homemade explosive device made of gas canisters and shrapnel.

“A more extensive search found a large amount of weapons, handheld knives, blades, axes, that sort of thing and the homemade explosive devices.

“Probably the most horrific of these is something that’s been described as a ‘wrist-knife’, which is like a gauntlet with four very sharp blades coming off that you would hold with a fist and have four knives coming off the top of your hand, basically.

“I’ve never seen one of those before. I understand it was purchased on the internet, and it’s a horrific piece of equipment.”

He confirmed the homemade bomb, while crude, would have potentially been fatal if set off.

DI Lewis said no one in the quiet neighbourhood took much notice of Glynn, who was quietly building up his sinister arsenal of weapons.

In police interviews, Glynn said that he had intended to test his homemade bomb in woods near his home. However, he also claimed the device was around two years old and he never got around to testing it.

“We interviewed Glynn and tried to get to the bottom of what was driving him,” continued DI Lewis.

“His social media indicates there are far right leanings – albeit historic. We asked questions about that, he stated that he did hold those views until two years ago and no longer held these views. There is no evidence on social media that he kept on holding right wing views.”

DI Lewis confirmed there was bomb-making handbooks found in the property, but nothing that was explicitly “right wing”.

“The issue is that we don’t know what Matthew Glynn is thinking,” he admitted.

“We interviewed Glynn and tried to get to the bottom of what was driving him,” continued DI Lewis. “We conducted a thorough search and all evidence was sent to the CPS and they came back and said it didn’t meet criteria of terrorism-related.”

He added: “This is an extremely rare event and I would not want to worry people unduly. We have discovered this thanks to the vigilance of associates of Matthew Glynn.

“In my career, this is the first time I have come across something as extensive as this.”

On how the 37-year-old managed to amass such a vast cache of weapons and go undetected for two years, DI Lewis said Glynn was a “private person” who kept “himself to himself”.

“We do not police the internet,” he added.

Some of Glynn’s weapon collection on display in his Horfield home

Bomb making equipment and handbooks were found at the property

A CPS spokesperson said: “Matthew Glynn was charged with making an explosive device, possession of a regulated substance and possession of a prohibited weapon. The case failed to meet the evidential test to charge any terrorism offences.

“In order to prosecute as terrorism, prosecutors must be satisfied that a device was constructed for the ‘purpose of advancing a political, religious, racial or ideological cause’ under section 1 of the Terrorism Act 2000. In this case that direct link could not be made from the evidence.”

Speaking after the sentencing, DI Lewis said this case serves as a reminder to people not to think twice about reporting anything which causes them worry.

“We don’t mind if it turns out to be nothing, we’d rather people let us know about their suspicions so we can assess the situation and take appropriate action. Your report could make all the difference,” he said.

If you have information or would like to speak to a neighbourhood officer, you can call the non-emergency 101. In an emergency always dial 999.

All images from Avon and Somerset Police.