A man from Kingston who stockpiled ingredients to make explosive substances has been jailed.

Michael Pym-Nixson was found by paramedics on March 19 just after 10pm at his home after he burnt himself handling dangerous chemicals.

The 54-year-old was sentenced yesterday (April 5) at Southwark Crown Court to three-and-a-half years in custody.

The prosecution also successfully applied for a five-year Serious Crime Prevention Order to begin upon his release from prison.

He had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of having an explosive substance at an earlier hearing.

The smoke alarm at his home was going off upon the arrival of the paramedics where the man was found to be acting erratically.

He told the paramedics he accidentally picked up an old firework while searching through a toolbox.

Pym-Nixson was then found with three deep burns to his right hand.

After a paramedic asked to see the firework, he reportedly said: “You don’t need to see that."

Officers then attended his home on March 20, but he did not let them in.

He told the police the injuries to his hand were caused by a gas hob.

Police then returned to conduct a search of his home on March 22 with members of the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Unit - which took six days to complete.

Ingredients that are used to make Armstrong’s Mixture, a sensitive primary explosive, and black powder, also known as Gunpowder, were discovered.

When officers asked Pym-Nixson if he had any flammable items or explosives in the house, he said that he did not and only mentioned a camping stove and paraffin lamp.

Officers also found an envelope containing a substance, which spontaneously ignited emitting flames and thick smoke while it was being examined.

From all the ingredients seized from Pym-Nixson's home, it was found that 308g of Armstrong’s Mixture and 6,110g of Gunpowder could have been made.

Lauren Doshi, from the CPS, said: “Quite what Michael Pym-Nixson planned to do with these dangerous and explosive chemicals, we may never know.

“What can be said is that he was experimenting with hazardous chemicals inside the uncontrolled setting of his flat in south-west London.

"These chemicals could have been a real risk and led to serious consequences.

“The investigation uncovered that Pym-Nixson had a YouTube channel which included a playlist with a video of how to make an explosive substance.

"He also had a notebook of handwritten recipes and hidden inside his shed was a book titled The Do it Yourself Gunpowder Cookbook.

“During police interviews Pym-Nixson claimed that he kept these chemicals in order to prepare as a ‘survivalist’ for example, to preserve food for long periods of time.

"Faced with the evidence against him he accepted his guilt.

“It is illegal to possess explosive substances and the CPS will work with the police to keep the public safe by prosecuting those who break the law.”

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