Runaway wanted to blow up Blackpool bank after Netflix documentary, court hears

A “dangerous” escaped prisoner was caught with a nail bomb, two imitation firearms and a knife and planned to blow up a bank after watching a Netflix documentary, a court has heard.

Alan Murphy, 62, planned to detonate an explosive at an HSBC bank in Blackpool after becoming enraged by allegations made in the series Dirty Money: Cartel Ban, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.

Murphy was arrested in November 2020 when officers conducted a welfare check while he was living in a camper van in Blackpool. They discovered he was wanted after failing to return to an open prison nine months earlier.

He was sentenced to 15 years in prison by Liverpool District Court.

He had previously pleaded guilty to two charges: possessing an imitation firearm in public, possessing a knife in public and possessing an explosive substance with intent to cause serious damage to property.

Judge Neil Flewitt KC ruled that he was a dangerous offender and that the public had a duty to protect him.

The court heard that Murphy, who has multiple previous convictions including for robbery with a firearm and possession of imitation firearms, planned the attack on the HSBC bank after watching the documentary which exposed the bank’s alleged links to the financing of terrorism and drug cartels.

Judge Flewitt said Murphy was “unlawfully at large” in November 2020 after he fled prison and gave a false name to police.

However, fingerprints revealed his identity and he was asked if he had a weapon, the court heard.

Judge Flewitt said: “You then told them you had a firearm and an improvised explosive device in your rucksack.”

A search found the explosive, which prosecutor Joe Allman described as a nail bomb, as well as a black-painted BB gun, a homemade shotgun and a kitchen knife.

The judge said: “At that point you told one of the police officers that you were going to blow up a bank, something you had seen on a TV programme.”

Judge Flewitt, sentencing Murphy, said: “I have no doubt that your plan, if carried out, would have endangered the lives of everyone who was in or near the car park when it exploded.”

Richard Littler KC, defending, said Murphy never intended to endanger anyone’s life.

Tom Snape, of the Crown Prosecution Service, said: “Alan Murphy is a dangerous man who planned to carry out a terrifying bomb attack on a bank and its staff.

“It’s fortunate that the officers were on the scene that day and acted quickly to prevent Murphy from carrying out his plan, which could have had disastrous consequences.”