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Men jailed for Staffordshire nail bombing plot Men jailed for Staffordshire nail bombing plot
(about 1 hour later)
Four men have been jailed for nail bomb explosions at houses in Staffordshire.Four men have been jailed for nail bomb explosions at houses in Staffordshire.
Jason Taft, 42, from Bagnall, received 16 years for conspiring to cause explosions and six years for conspiring to make death threats.Jason Taft, 42, from Bagnall, received 16 years for conspiring to cause explosions and six years for conspiring to make death threats.
Thomas Leslie, 35, from Belfast, received 14 years and five years for the same charges.Thomas Leslie, 35, from Belfast, received 14 years and five years for the same charges.
Kevin Proctor, 44, from Stoke, and Martin Drewery, 43, from Staffordshire Moorlands, received nine years for conspiring to cause explosions.Kevin Proctor, 44, from Stoke, and Martin Drewery, 43, from Staffordshire Moorlands, received nine years for conspiring to cause explosions.
A fifth man, Andrew Boal, 32, from Ballygowan, County Down, was sentenced to five years for conspiring to make threats to kill. A fifth man, Andrew Boal, 32, from Ballygowan, County Down, was found not guilty of conspiring to cause explosions but jailed for five years for conspiring to make threats to kill.
All were convicted at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday, following a 14-week trial.All were convicted at Stafford Crown Court on Tuesday, following a 14-week trial.
'Dispute over money''Dispute over money'
Both Taft and Leslie's sentences for their two convictions will run concurrently.Both Taft and Leslie's sentences for their two convictions will run concurrently.
Boal was found not guilty of conspiring to cause explosions of a nature likely to endanger life or cause serious injury.
Proctor and Drewery were found not guilty of conspiring to make threats to kill.Proctor and Drewery were found not guilty of conspiring to make threats to kill.
During the trial the court heard they targeted workers linked to a local businessman in a dispute over money.During the trial the court heard they targeted workers linked to a local businessman in a dispute over money.
The prosecution claimed that as part of a campaign of threats and intimidation Taft recruited the other men to help build bombs on his Staffordshire farm.The prosecution claimed that as part of a campaign of threats and intimidation Taft recruited the other men to help build bombs on his Staffordshire farm.
The jury heard that the first nail bomb exploded on 3 August outside a family home containing eight people, including a five-month-old baby.The jury heard that the first nail bomb exploded on 3 August outside a family home containing eight people, including a five-month-old baby.
A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, told reporters: "They [the people in the house] were clearly panicked because they'd got a little baby... The bomb had shot nails all over their house and it really frightened them."A neighbour, who wished to remain anonymous, told reporters: "They [the people in the house] were clearly panicked because they'd got a little baby... The bomb had shot nails all over their house and it really frightened them."
Died during trial
On the same night another bomb was set off at a house in Cheadle, the court was told, where a family with three children was at home.On the same night another bomb was set off at a house in Cheadle, the court was told, where a family with three children was at home.
A third bomb then exploded at a house in Weston Coyney, where neighbours heard a very large bang and saw someone running back to a car before it drove off.A third bomb then exploded at a house in Weston Coyney, where neighbours heard a very large bang and saw someone running back to a car before it drove off.
Det Ch Insp Darren Harding, who led the investigation, said: "Threatening, intimidating behaviour and more seriously, nail bombings, will not be tolerated in Staffordshire and although the wider public's safety was not at risk, this was undoubtedly a very serious crime and the defendants must now face the consequences of their involvement."Det Ch Insp Darren Harding, who led the investigation, said: "Threatening, intimidating behaviour and more seriously, nail bombings, will not be tolerated in Staffordshire and although the wider public's safety was not at risk, this was undoubtedly a very serious crime and the defendants must now face the consequences of their involvement."
No one has been charged with planting the bombs. In total ten men were arrested and charged in the course of the investigation.
One man was deemed unfit to strand trial and another died during the trial. The death is not being treated as suspicious.
Three further men, Mark Jeffrey, 49, Anthony Hancock, 32, both from Stoke-on-Trent and Michael Condlyffe, 52, from Newcastle, had previously pleaded guilty to conspiring to pervert the course of justice.
They will be sentenced on a future date.