Bristol flat explosion: Man 'was making beans on toast'

Laura Hawkins denies allowing her flat to be used for the production of a Class B drug

A woman thought her housemate was making her beans on toast just before an explosion ripped through her flat, a court has heard.

James Toogood, 36, is accused of causing the explosion on Whitchurch Road in Bristol while trying to make cannabis oil.

Laura Hawkins said she was not aware of anyone making cannabis oil in her flat.

Mr Toogood denies a charge of damaging property being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

Miss Hawkins, of Currells Lane in Felton, Bristol, denies allowing her flat to be used for the production of a Class B drug.

Bristol Crown Court heard the explosion happened just after 20:00 GMT on 23 February last year, destroying two flats and causing £260,000 of damage.

The explosion caused £260,000 worth of damage, Bristol Crown Court heard

Miss Hawkins, 39, who was living with Mr Toogood, was initially arrested on suspicion of arson and cultivating cannabis.

When the charges were put to her in a police interview five days after the blast, she replied: "They're all wrong."

She told police she was watching television in the front room at the time of the explosion, while Mr Toogood was in the kitchen.

"He was in the kitchen cooking me beans on toast with cheese. He melts the cheese real nice," she said.

• Man 'blew up flats while making cannabis oil'

When asked about a saucepan containing a black oily liquid, she told police it was a chip pan.

Police asked whether this was what Mr Toogood was using it for, to which she replied: "I hope not. I asked for beans on toast, not chips."

She told police they would have to speak to Mr Toogood about what he was doing in her kitchen, adding she was "not his minder".

James Toogood admits producing a Class B drug but denies charges related to the explosion

In a second interview, she said as far as she was aware Mr Toogood was not making butane cannabis oil in her flat, and no-one else was.

The court heard exhibits from the scene included a bag of vegetable matter, which contained ground-up cannabis flowering head, and a red Stella Artois crate and a glass bowl, which both contained cannabis matter.

Other items seized included a large number of butane cans, one of which had Mr Toogood's fingerprint on, and a saucepan and metal steamer with traces of THC - a crystalline compound that is the main active ingredient of cannabis.

Mr Toogood, of Currells Lane, admits one charge of producing a Class B drug - cannabis oil - but has said he was not doing so when the explosion happened. He denies a charge of destroying property.

The trial continues.