British teen accused of plot to commit college massacre
Jul 24, 2015, 9:24 AM
LONDON (AP) — A British teenager planned a gun and bomb attack on a college that had kicked him out for bad behavior, a prosecutor said Friday.
Liam Lyburd, 19, is on trial for allegedly amassing an arsenal to target Newcastle College in northern England. He was expelled in 2012 for being disruptive in class.
Prosecutor Nick Dry told jurors at Newcastle Crown Court that a file recovered from Lyburd’s computer titled “Newcastle College” said: “You ruined my whole life … I will teach you a little lesson on respect with my 9mm hollow points.”
It also said, “yes people will die, there’s no question about that.”
Police computer expert Paul Wells said Lyburd’s laptop was used to access a “Dark Web” marketplace site called Evolution. A user named “Donald Trump” paid for gun parts and ammunition with the online currency Bitcoin.
Lyburd was arrested Nov. 3 after police received a tipoff from someone alarmed by his Facebook posts.
Dry said Lyburd told police he had planned a massacre — but also said the plot was a fantasy he did not plan to carry out.
Lyburd has pleaded guilty to making pipe bombs and explosive devices, and possessing a 9mm Luger Glock gun, bullets and CS gas. He denies possessing the items with intent to endanger life.
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