VIC: Police warn of court action over home made explosives

AAP General News (Australia)
08-24-1999
VIC: Police warn of court action over home made explosives

By Sarah Timms and Royal Abbott

MELBOURNE, Aug 24 AAP - Young people who toyed with home-made explosives should be aware
their experiments were not only potentially lethal but criminal, police warned today.

A teenager and a 10-year-old have already died this year handling home-made bombs, and
yesterday a 15-year-old Melbourne boy became the latest victim of backyard experiments, losing
a thumb and two fingers on his left hand.

Four teenagers had been working on an explosive device in a caravan in Martin Place,
Cranbourne, in Melbourne's outer south-east, last night.

Arson Squad Detective Senior Sergeant Mick Hughes said today the latest tragedy highlighted
the dangers of experimenting with explosives.

"I personally am looking at two incidents where we may have to take criminal action out of
those events," Snr Sgt Hughes told reporters.

"That highlights to the families - they suffer enough with the initial event and then
criminal proceedings may follow that."

The most recent death, that of 17-year-old Hylton Chislett, from Swan Hill, in the state's
north, also involved teenage boys building pipe bombs.

In that incident in July, one other boy, aged 16, lost a finger and suffered shrapnel
damage and a third, aged 18, serious abdominal injuries.

In March 10-year-old Melbourne boy Cameron Hall was killed when a soda siphon gas bulb blew
up in a fire and metal fragments embedded in his head.

His father said he learned at a scouts camp how to use the bulbs to power home-made
rockets.

Snr Sgt Hughes said many young people did not even consider they were liable to serious
criminal charges - such as conduct endangering life - that could result in heavy jail
sentences.

But he thought most were naive rather than stupid, and it was impossible to stop people
experimenting or getting information through channels such as the Internet.

Sgt Hughes also said the media had to act responsibly, pointing out that a recent episode
of popular television series SeaChange had shown shown a home-made rocket being built and
fired.

"I think education and legislation are probably the key," he said.

"We've got to get across to them the dangers and the consequences of their own actions -
how would they feel ... if their best friend is killed.

"It's a weight that they'll keep for the rest of their lives."

AAP st/jlw/er/it/br

KEYWORD: EXPLODE (CARRIED EARLIER)

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