Strang had a total of about 120g of gunpowder which equates to approximately 8-10 tablespoons, the defence said.

It was described as "not very much" and "homemade" by the defence.

"We all just laughed it off", one of his classmates said of his claims about making a bomb, the court was told.

Another said it made them feel uncomfortable but not fearful.

The curriculum lead at the college took it more seriously, however, and informed the college’s safeguarding team.

Staff concerns led to the college being evacuated.

The defence says Strang did not say he had planted a bomb, and his intention was to impress other students with his ability.

Miskin said Strang was 17 years old at the time of the offences, adding that young people often found it difficult to manage their emotional state.

He had previously admitted that he struggled to express his distress, the court was told, and this would lead to behaviour that was impulsive.

Miskin went on to say that his interest in serial killers did not come out of the blue but was a "reaction to real-life events" and that he had no coping mechanism and a personality that was "obsessive".

Strang was "a young man of good character" the defence says. He is not "radicalised" or a visitor to the "dark web".

He willingly handed over his phone to police and supplied the pin number.

He "is not evil" the defence adds, and according to his mother had always tried to lead a productive life.

Amy Cole
at Birmingham Crown Court

His father’s illness was emotionally difficult for Strang, the defence says, and he was frightened he might not survive.

Strang said he felt confused and angry while his father was in intensive care.

Defence KC Charles Miskin told the hearing that while he didn't have a undiagnosis, there were suggestions he could have diagnosed ADHD or Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Strang was often playing video games as well as visiting websites which showed real-world violence.

According to a report read in court, he lacked maturity, and tended to become bored quickly. He had an inability to show emotion.

His mental health issues were likely to be strongly connected to his offences, the report added.

The probation service concluded he was "yet to reach maturity" and less able to evaluate the consequences of his actions.

He often acted on impulse and in a reckless manner, it added.

Continuing the statement from Strang's mother, Miskin said she confirmed he had epilepsy.

"He was not very advanced and can not tie his own shoelaces," he told the court.

Miskin also described Strang as "a bit odd" and that his mother said the moral of the story was to watch what children consume online.

Amy Cole
at Birmingham Crown Court

Reading out a statement from Strang's mother, Miskin said she bought chemicals for him online, thinking they were for a science experiment.

He said she knew about the bow, arrow and blow pipe he had made.

The court was told she thought he was in his room playing video games and would spend most of his time there.

There was no character statement from his father, who is said to be unwell. Strang is said to be "close" to his father.

Charles Miskin KC, defending, is now addressing the court.

He talks about the character statements provided by Strang’s grandmother and his mother, addressing serious illnesses in the family which might have affected him.

Miskin says he has accepted responsibility "for the things that he did do".

The defence mitigation statement is now beginning.

Strang gave no comment when he was interviewed by police when he was asked about the threats he made, Brook said.

The court heard Strang had no previous convictions before turning to the sentencing guidelines.

The prosecution states Strang did not have terrorist links, but did have a "troubling extremist mindset" including his admiration for serial killers.

The court was shown an 18-second video, made by Strang, in which he compared himself to various killers.

In addition, prosecutors said he had also accessed various videos on the internet containing "accurate and viable" instructions relating to explosives.

Police also found a video, created just minutes before their arrival at his home on 10 September, in which he said he was fine-tuning his gunpowder.

Brook said police spoke to a family member of Strang, who told them of a large box that was in the property's garage.

The box contained a number of chemicals, which included gunpowder and some of its ingredients, like sulphur potassium nitrate and charcoal.

The substances had the potential to create more than 300g of gunpowder, the court hears.

Amy Cole
at Birmingham Crown Court

The court was shown these videos, which were sent to a friend on Snapchat.

Strang sent more images and video, among them of the person responsible for a massacre in Crimea and of Norwegian domestic terrorist Anders Breivik.

Amy Cole
at Birmingham Crown Court

The court hears that Strang sent three videos on Snapchat to a fellow student showing him lighting substances in his garden.

Prosecutor Matthew Brook also referred to messages or images he sent about killers, including Jeffrey Dahmer and the perpetrator in the Sandy Hook massacre.

He also sent further communications about bomb-making, Brook added.

On 10 September, three students raised concerns with their course leader, and the college made the decision to cancel its woodwork classes for that afternoon.

His property was then searched by police, who found documents created by Strang written earlier in the year, which described his plans to do "something big, something violent".

He said he had hatred for "everything" and the document also stated he had considered a knife attack at a hospital where his father was being treated.

Strang also expressed a desire to be like other high-profile serial killers.

Birmingham Crown Court is hearing how that during a break from his woodwork class on 9 September, at about 14.15 BST, students went outside to a park area and Strang was asked about his interests.

He told his fellow students that he "idolised serial killers". He also asked if he could be lent a pressure cooker, so he could "blow up college", the court was told.

Strang told students he had timed the relevant exit routes to allow him enough time to get out of the building safely.

Prosecutor Matthew Brook KC has started to address the court.

He said Strang had been living in the South Africa but move to the UK, and had been living there for three and a half years with his parents at the time of the offences.

A witness described him as being a “nice kid” in South Africa but said he had “completely changed” since being in England.

He started a diploma in woodwork at Stafford College last year. Brook added.