A MAN who made weapons including homemade paintball grenades filled with glass, metal and chilli powder has been jailed.

Scott Porter, from Haywards Heath, admitted to making explosives in preparation for what he believed was the coming apocalypse.

The 44-year-old also pleaded guilty to having information useful to a person preparing an act of terrorism in three scrapbooks.

On Tuesday, Judge Mark Dennis QC jailed him for four years and three months, with a further extended licence period of four years.

The offences came to light in September 2019 after Porter was arrested after failed attempt to rob a chemist with a crossbow.

The court heard that the pharmacist recognised Porter, who had demanded Valium and morphine.

Police raided his Haywards Heath home and uncovered weapons including knives, knuckledusters and ingredients to make homemade explosives, the court heard.

Further searches uncovered paintball grenades, spears, toy gun foam darts with needles inserted in the ends and spiked knee pads.

Porter had also had notebooks containing designs for making weapons and how to carry out an attack and avoid detection, the court heard.

In one book, he wrote: “Dear lord, please allow me to do this and not get caught. This will be practice for runs doing bigger jobs.

“It will give me the funds to start to bring vengeance upon those that would abuse the innocent.

“Please can I bring vengeance on those that are cruel to animals with your blessing.”

In a subsequent police interview, Porter claimed the grenades were for “if an apocalyptic scenario had happened”, the court heard.

Prosecutor Michael Bisgrove said that although no specific plans or ideology had been identified, Porter posed a risk to the general public, given the stash of weapons and the destabilising effects of his use of drugs.

In mitigation, the court heard Porter’s drug abuse explained his “fear of an apocalyptic scenario” and his “fantastical designs” for weapons.

Detective Chief Superintendent Kath Barnes, head of counter terrorism policing South East, previously said: “During this investigation it was clear the information found in the possession of Porter would have been useful to someone who wanted to cause harm to our communities.

“Although Porter didn’t have a specific ideology, the information he wrote, researched and designed could have been useful to a terrorist with plans to carry out an attack.

“His actions were reckless and the weight of evidence against him left Porter with no choice but to plead guilty to these serious offences.”