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Teenager Guilty Of College Massacre Plot

Teenager Guilty Of College Massacre Plot

A teenager has been found guilty of planning a mass murder at his former college.

Liam Lyburd, 19, who was accused of plotting a gun and bomb attack on Newcastle College in November last year, was convicted following a trial at Newcastle Crown Court.

He had pleaded guilty to nine counts of possessing five pipe bombs, two explosive devices, CS gas, a 9mm handgun and 94 expanding bullets, but had denied eight charges of intent to endanger life.

Following the unanimous guilty verdicts, Lyburd gestured with his fingers to his own head as if he was shooting himself as he was led from court.

Judge Paul Sloan QC, who will sentence Lyburd on 25 September after a psychiatric report has been prepared, told him: "You will appreciate that only a very substantial sentence in custody is appropriate in the circumstances of this case."

The court heard during his trial that Lyburd blamed the college for his "miserable life" and making him look a "fool".

In a hate-filled note about his former college, which he deleted from his computer but was recovered by an IT specialist, Lyburd wrote he would show no mercy in the planned attack.

He also told a girl on Skype of his desire to kill and referenced the Anders Breivik massacre in Norway and the Jaylen Fryberg college attack in the US.

Lyburd's hatred stemmed from a five-week spell at the college that saw him kicked out for being disruptive, the court was told.

Records showed he had a poor attendance record and was expelled for "shocking" behaviour.

Jurors also heard Lyburd used online names including The Joker and I Love My Anger and discussed attacking Newcastle Metro commuters with a gun and machete while on valium.

The teenager's mass murder plot was foiled when he was arrested in November after a tip-off from a concerned member of the public.

He told police at the time he was planning "to shoot a bunch of people" that day and they had saved lives, but later changed his story and denied making the admission.

Giving evidence, Lyburd said buying a Glock pistol on the internet was like "buying a bar of chocolate".

But he had claimed messages he posted on Facebook threatening an attack were only a "wind up" to keep his friends interested in him.

However, the prosecution said he intended to use the weapon because he had watched YouTube videos on how to load and fire it.

The teenager also tried to explain pictures of himself posing with the Glock gun while wearing a mask and boiler suit, claiming it was like people on Halloween "dressed as Ghostface from Scream".