Home Alone inspired drug dealer Ian Claughton jailed for booby trapping house with pipe bombs
A drug dealer inspired by the movie Home Alone He was sentenced to seven years in prison for setting a booby trap in his home.
Ian Claughton rigged his home in the former village of Grimethorpe, South Yorkshire, with trip wires and homemade pipe bombs to protect his drugs business from possible intruders.
In May 2024, nearly 100 homes had to be evacuated as police searched three neighboring homes linked to Claughton and his ex-wife Lesley Claughton.
They found a number of traps, as well as a homemade flamethrower, large amounts of marijuana, amphetamines and cash.
On Tuesday Ian Claughton was sentenced to seven years in prison at Sheffield Crown Court by Judge Graham Reeds, who said he was “a drug dealer who used these weapons to protect his cannabis growing operation”.
Lesley Claughton was sentenced to 21 months in prison and suspended for two years.
Opening the trial to jurors last October, prosecutor Helen Chapman said: “If you’re sitting there thinking this is a bit like a movie Home Alonethen you are right.
“In fact, Ian Claughton told the police that this was exactly what he intended when he told them about these devices.”
When police entered one of the “heavily guarded” homes, they found a piece of fishing wire connected to an electrical connector and a battery pack, running the length of one of the rooms at knee level.
Ian Claughton told police the explosives were crow scaring substances used by farmers and that he had placed them in plastic pipes and, on one occasion, in a paint bag.
Other devices found on the property consisted of fireworks inside pipes, sealed with foam, set off by wires and a coiled spring.
A stun gun was found behind a refrigerator and a homemade flamethrower was found in a workshop.
Other weapons found on the premises included two high-powered air guns and a crossbow.
A large amount of cash, including £27,000, was also discovered sewn into the sofa.
Cannabis plants were seen growing in two of some houses, some in tents in secret rooms.
Detectives from the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organized Crime Unit executed the arrest warrants after Border Force discovered a package of imitation firearms ordered from China and destined for Lesley Claughton.
The package was opened at Heathrow Airport and five small silver-black collapsible five-shot pistols were found.
The court heard this was ordered by Ian Claughton using Lesley Claughton’s eBay account.
In the three-day multi-agency operation, a 100-metre cordon was put in place in Grimethorpe while dozens of residents were evacuated and Army bomb squad experts were called.
Ian Claughton, 60, pleaded guilty to bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country for concern about the production of cannabis and two counts of possession with intent to supply class B drugs.
Following a trial at Doncaster Crown Court, he was convicted of three counts of possessing prohibited firearms, possessing criminal property and possessing explosives.
He was cleared of firearm charges related to the stun gun.
Lesley Claughton, 59, was found guilty of bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country, possessing class B drugs with intent to supply, possessing criminal property and being concerned in the production of cannabis.
Detective Superintendent Al Burns, of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organized Crime Unit, said: “Ian Claughton is clearly someone who is very significantly involved in drug crime.
“He appears to have developed a siege mentality in which he resorts to unconventional and elaborate methods to defend his home and its illegal contents from would-be intruders; inspired by Macaulay Culkin’s character in the popular Christmas movie. Home Alone.
“When he tried to import realistic looking firearms from China he was stopped by UK Border Force personnel and we intervened and carried out raids on his addresses.
“The modified booby trap devices officers found at the address, along with a number of other weapons, appeared to be a home-made bomb and obviously caused us serious concern, which was rightly met with an appropriate multi-agency response to protect the public until military experts could declare the scene safe.
“This has caused significant disruption and concern to the local community over a number of days and we hope that everyone affected can take some solace and reassurance from seeing Claughton and his former partner held criminally accountable.”
