Quantcast
Channel: Leicester Mercury Latest Stories Feed
Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9894

Teenager accused of Columbine-style school massacre held under mental health act

$
0
0

A teenager, who kept a stash of weapons in his home but denied he was planning a repeat of the Columbine school massacre, has been detained under the Mental Health Act.

Michael Piggin, 18, of Beaumont Road, Loughborough, admitted possessing petrol bombs and component parts of pipe bombs for use as explosive devices.

He also pleaded guilty to possessing the component parts for improvised explosive devices (IEDs).

Police discovered a hoard of petrol bombs and air rifles, when they were called to investigate an alleged public order offence from six days earlier, at his home in February last year.

Piggin, who has Asperger's syndrome, denied he was going to attack his old school in a re-run of the Columbine massacre.

In sentencing at the Old Bailey, Recorder of London Brian Barker QC told Piggin he should be held "under the Mental Health Act, which will provide you with appropriate treatment for as long as is deemed necessary".

The judge said: "Cases of this type are fortunately rare but of great concern to the public and normally would attract long sentences.

"Given your personal condition, this is not a case of a determinate sentence.

"It is clear from reports you need treatment."

The judge said the potential danger to the public was "uppermost" in his mind.

The Columbine High School massacre of 1999 was one of America's worst mass shootings. Eric Harris and Dylan Klebold murdered 12 students and a teacher at the school, in Colorado, before both committing suicide.

Officers who unearthed a cache of weapons when they searched Piggin's bedroom also found material to do with military matters and the Third Reich.

The judge told Piggin: "Numerous entries in your notebook and on Facebook, plus internet searches, all indicate a fascination with guns and the perpetrators of the Columbine massacre."

He also noted talks with people who knew him had painted "a picture of friction, difficulties, intransigent views and outright racism".

Piggin had pleaded not guilty to two charges under the Terrorism Act.

He denied possessing items for the purpose, preparation and instigation of an act of terrorism and possessing a document or record containing information likely to be useful for a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.

He has faced two trials but both juries were discharged after failing to reach a verdict on the terror charges. The judge directed not guilty verdicts on terror charges.

Teenager accused of Columbine-style school massacre   held under mental health act


Viewing all articles
Browse latest Browse all 9894

Latest Images

Trending Articles



Latest Images

<script src="https://jsc.adskeeper.com/r/s/rssing.com.1596347.js" async> </script>