Coventry man with autism cleared of terrorism 'obsessed' with military

Kim Copeland criticised the police for being "too extreme" in the way they dealt with her son, Chez

A man cleared of terror offences after detonating experimental blasts at his home should not have been charged as police know he has autism, his mother says.

"Obsessive" military fan Chez Copeland was released from prison after a Supreme Court ruling last week.

He was held in maximum security jails for nearly two years after police raided his Coventry home in April 2018.

His mother Kim said their lives had been "destroyed".

"I know they have to investigate, but autism is not terrorism," she said.

Eight homes were evacuated after the explosions at a house in Brookside Avenue, on 24 April.

Chez (pictured as a child) used his garden shed as a home laboratory

West Midlands Police said the decision to charge Copeland had come "following consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service".

It said a number of dangerous chemicals were found during the search of his home and had to be disposed of by Explosive Ordnance Disposal.

During a hearing at Birmingham Crown Court, Copeland admitted owning a stun gun and acquiring an explosive without a certificate.

But Judge Mark Wall accepted he had "not intended to use [the explosive] in a criminal way", he acquired it "because he had a curiosity to see what he could do with it".

He formally found Copeland not guilty of the terrorism and Explosive Substances Act offences when prosecutors offered no evidence following the Supreme Court ruling "experimentation" could be a lawful defence.

The defendant was jailed for 22 months, but was released because it equalled the time he had spent on remand.

Eight homes were evacuated after the explosions in April 2018

Ms Copeland said her son, 22, had always liked the FBI and dressed up as a soldier since he was young, but was unable to join the army because of his Asperger condition.

He had legally bought chemicals from eBay and solicitors said he made explosives in his garden shed and openly set them off in his garden, while dressed in military uniforms.

He did not realise the torch he had bought had a dual action as a stun gun, Ms Copeland said.

After his arrest he was moved to Belmarsh prison in south east London, and taken under the wing of several prisoners once they realised his condition. He was then moved to Woodhill prison in Milton Keynes.

"They thought he was weird until they realised he was autistic and then they did care for him," she said.

• Man who 'experimented' with explosives cleared

• People return home after 'bomb' probe

• Terror charge after homes evacuated

Ms Copeland said some people will always see her son as a terrorist and bricks have been thrown through her window.

She added that one positive from the ordeal was that she was now working with Woodhill jail to help it achieve autism accreditation.