A MAN threatened to blow up his neighbours with homemade petrol bombs after accusing them of keeping him awake at night.

Richard Bool, 61, from Abertillery told them, ‘If you want to go boom, we’ll go boom’, Cardiff Crown Court was told.

There was a history of bad feeling between the “eccentric” defendant and other residents in Valley View Road, Cwmtillery.

Matters came to a head at around 9pm outside Bool’s flat on the night of Wednesday, July 12.

Prosecutor Josh Scouller said: “The defendant began making threats which included, ‘I’ll have you all’.

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“He began filling glass bottles and jars with petrol from a petrol can.

“Neighbours had had a number of instances of complaints of erratic behaviour from Mr Bool and a number of threats had been made.

“These included making threats of, ‘If you want to make a ruckus, I'll give you a ruckus’ and ‘If you want to go boom, we’ll go boom’.

“As a result, the police were called and they attended at the defendant’s address and arrested him under suspicion of an offence under the Explosive Substances Act.

“During a search of his home, officers found six glass jars and a five litre jerry can full of petrol.

“Mr Bool was taken in custody and, with a solicitor present, he gave a full admission and agreed that he’d had petrol and the neighbours had woken him with loud noises.”

The defendant pleaded guilty to making an explosive substance an offence that attracts a maximum sentence of life in prison.

Mr Scouller said Bool had 10 previous convictions for 19 offences the last of which was for kidnap in 2004.

Jeffrey Jones representing the defendant said: “Nothing was lit and nothing was thrown and he was the one who brought this to an end.

“There was a background of neighbour annoyance.”

Mr Jones added: “He has always had a good work ethic when not being in trouble or in gaol.

“And he appears to be fairly isolated with no family support from siblings or anyone else.”

Judge Hywel James told Bool: “Your neighbours were in fear and anxiety by your actions.

“There was a potential problem posed by the firebombs.

“Petrol bombs present a real risk of injury to people and property.

“I accept there no link to any terrorist organisation.”

The defendant was jailed for 20 months and told he would serve half of that sentence before being released on licence.