Judge Mr Justice Wall sentenced Jagger Strang to three years and 11 months for threating to bomb Stafford College and to kill students
Explosives were found at the 18-year-old's home alongside a blowpipe
However, the sentencing hearing at Birmingham Crown Court heard he pleaded guilty on the basis he had no intention to build a bomb
In submissions, the prosecution said Strang had a "troubling extremist mindset" and idolised serial killers
The defence said Strang's intention was to impress other students
The CPS said Strang told his classmates all he needed to build a bomb was a pressure cooker.
At that point, he had been "testing making explosives", the CPS spokesperson added, and had ingredients capable of making up to 1.3kg of thermite and 320g of gunpowder.
While Strang was described as having a "disturbed mindset", they said his actions were not motivated by or connected to terrorism.
As stated in court, a search of Strang's devices uncovered a manifesto, which was written by him in 2025, the CPS said.
It read: "I am writing this before I do something big, something violent, maybe serial killing, maybe a rampage."
The CPS said it went on to describe his desire to be like famous serial killers, including the Sandy Hook school shooter in the US, who killed 20 children and six adults in 2012.
The CPS said Strang was arrested after it was reported he had videos of himself torturing cats and told people he was carrying knives and that he planned to blow up the college.
He showed a classmate photos of homemade weapons, the CPS added, and discussed an attack on the college, sharing videos of himself lighting explosive substances at his home.
The classmate reported Strang to the college the next day, which decided to end early to safeguard pupils and contacted police.
Officers arrested Strang later that day.
The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) has issued a statement following Jagger Strang's sentencing.
It said Strang had transformed "from a nice kid to a teenager obsessed with violence" when he moved to the UK from South Africa with his parents.
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceWhen police searched Strang's home, a number of chemicals were discovered, including homemade thermite.
Thermite is a pyrotechnic compsosition consisting of a metal powder fuel, usually aluminium, and a metal oxide, commonly iron oxide.
It generates intense heat upon ignition and undergoes what scientists describe as a highly exothermic reduction-oxidation reaction.
The reaction can sometimes reach temperatures of up to 3,000C.
Jagger Strang was sentenced for committing seven offences.
These were:
Following Stang's pleas eaerlier this year, Det Insp Dave Rowlands thanked students and staff at the college for their vigilance.
He said the situation had "understandably caused significant alarm to the students that Strang talked to and staff at the college".
Rowlands said the "swift action" of police officers meant they were able to intervene quickly and prevent any potential harm.
“We take all reports of this nature extremely seriously," he added.
"The outcome of this case demonstrates our commitment to working closely with partner agencies to identify risks early and to take robust action to protect the public.”
Image source, Staffordshire PoliceAs well as explosive substances, police discovered a homemade blow pipe at Strang's home, which accounted for the possession of a prohibited weapon in a private place charge that Strang admitted in May.
However, in mitigation, the defence said that this was for "recreational use".
Strang is handed three years and 11 months in a young offender institution.
Wall said there was a "longer-term potential" for harm, given Strang's obsession with serial killers and explosives.
He told the court the gunpowder and thermite were "not toys" and were "akin to dangerous weapons".
Wall said one of the group Strang confided in was concerned about what he was saying.
He mentions the videos of him setting off explosives in his garden and sending messages about serial killers.
This led to concerns being raised to the college, Wall added, and the site being evacuated.
Judge Wall says Strang accessed two documents - one on how to make an explosive device and one on how to make gunpowder.
His offending came to the attention of the authorities after he told classmates about blowing up the college with a pressure cooker - including details of which classroom he would destroy and how he would escape.
Wall said Strang carried out internet research in September, including documents "of use to terrorists".
He said there were no plans for him to make the videos more available but it remained illegal for him to access them.
"You wanted to be like the serial killers," the judge tells Strang.
"At the same time, you developed an unhealthy interest in explosives. You acquired the chemicals necessary to make gunpowder and thermite, and you made them."
Mr Justice Wall has returned to the court and he has started to give his sentencing remarks.
He outlines the offences he will be sentenced for, saying that he pleaded guilty on the first day of his trial, and will receive 10% credit.
Wall said Strand is now 18 years old and the offences were committed when he was aged 17.
He said he accepted Strang was an "isolated young man" and he never came to terms with the family's move to the UK from South Africa, about three years ago.
The judge, Mr Justice Wall, is set to return, when he will sentence Strang.
Viewers will be able to watch his remarks live via the Watch Live button at the top of this page.
The defence has concluded its statement and the judge has risen for a short break, with court set to resume at 15:50 BST.
Access to videos on weapons is "everywhere" online and "all around us, all the time," the defence says.
The blowpipe was "homemade" and for "recreational use", the defence says.
Discussing the explosives, young boys "do experiment" and "do dangerous things" the defence adds.
Miskin reiterated that the chemicals were bought by Strang's mother.
The explosives were not used aggressively, the defence adds. Some of them, at least, were not viable.
