Editing Damon Smith

[[file:DSmithMugshot.jpg|thumb|right|Mugshot]]

{{Quote|Quite what your motives were and what your true thinking was in acting as you did is difficult to discern with any degree of clarity or certainty.|Judge Richard Marks QC<ref name=sky>[https://news.sky.com/story/damon-smith-jailed-for-leaving-bomb-on-jubilee-line-tube-train-10893731 Damon Smith jailed for leaving bomb on Jubilee Line Tube train] - Sky News</ref>}}

'''Damon Smith''' (November 23<sup>rd</sup>, 1996<ref name=stand/> - ) is an English bomber who, at the age of 19, planted a bomb on a London Underground train in 2016. He had an interest in weapons including bombs and in Islamic extremism, but was not a terrorist; his motivations are unclear. He claimed the device was meant to be a prank smoke bomb but was convicted of a more serious crime.

==Background==
[[file:DSmithFlashingCash.jpg|thumb|left|250px|Damon Smith posing with money, probably earned from online poker games.]]
Smith was born in Devon and grew very close to his mother after his father became absent from the family.<ref name=guard>[https://www.theguardian.com/uk-news/2017/may/03/devon-student-damon-smith-guilty-homemade-bomb-london-tube-underground Devon student guilty of planting homemade bomb on London tube] - The Guardian</ref> He has Asperger's Syndrome,<ref name=indy>[http://www.independent.co.uk/news/uk/crime/damon-smith-teenager-made-bombs-because-he-was-bored-guilty-a7715611.html Damon Smith: Teenager who made bombs 'because he was bored' found guilty over Tube explosive] - The Independent</ref> which is an autism spectrum disorder.<ref name=stand>[https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/damon-smith-moment-student-who-planted-homemade-bomb-on-jubilee-line-train-grins-during-police-a3529691.html Damon Smith: Moment grinning student says he planted home-made bomb on Jubilee line train 'for a prank'] - The Evening Sstandard</ref> This does not affect intelligence but does lead to reduced empathy and can cause intense, narrow interests;<ref name=guard/> this may have influenced his obsessive weaponry interests.<ref name=indy/> It also makes social interaction difficult for him.<ref name=bbc>[http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-40059351 Damon Smith jailed for planting failed Tube bomb] - The BBC</ref>

He grew interested in weapons and bombs aged 10, and at 12 obtained nunchucks and a baton from the USA.<ref name=indy/> As he grew older he became interested in violent Islamic extremists, particularly [[The Islamic State|Islamic State]], and in mass murder.<ref name=bbc/> He was raised as a Christian.<ref name=stand2>[https://www.standard.co.uk/news/crime/tube-bomb-plotter-damon-smith-jailed-for-15-years-a3549626.html Tube bomb plotter Damon Smith jailed for 15 years] - The Evening Standard</ref> He used videogames to reenact mass shootings.<ref name=bbc/> Online poker was used to fund weapons purchases.<ref name=stand/>

Specific villains looked up by Smith include [[Tamerlan Tsarnaev|Tamerlan]] and [[Dzhokhar Tsarnaev]] (the Boston Marathon bombers) and London nail bomber [[David Copeland]].<ref name=indy/> He also posed with a photo of Paris terrorist [[Abdelhamid Abaaoud]].<ref name=stand/> Three months before the bombing he moved to London<ref name=bbc/> after gaining a place studying forensic computing at London Metropolitan University.<ref name=guard/>

==Failed bombing==
[[file:DSmithBomb.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Smith's partially-exploded failed bomb.]]
Smith left his bomb on a London Underground train on October 20<sup>th</sup>, 2016.<ref name=stand/> He shoved it under a seat on an underground train between Southwark and London Bridge stations before going back the way he came.<ref name=stand2/> Passengers alerted the driver to Smith's unattended rucksack and it was taken into the train's cab for safekeeping as presumed lost property.<ref name=sky/> The driver spotted wires as he drove on and raised the alarm.<ref name=indy/> Had the bomb worked, it would have exploded during evacuations of the train and platform at North Greenwich station.<ref name=guard/> He had timed it to explode 13 minutes after he planted it.<ref name=indy/>
[[file:DSmithContainer.jpg|thumb|left|250px|The metal container used for the bomb.]]
Smith had packed the device with ball bearings.<ref name=indy/> He had downloaded [[Al-Qaeda]]'s magazine Inspire.<ref name=stand2/> It contained instructions used to build the device, titled Make A Bomb In The Kitchen Of Your Mom.<ref name=indy/> He made several modifications, all of which weakened his weapon's potential for harm.<ref name=guard/> It used a £2 Tesco clock as a timer.<ref name=indy/>

==Investigation==
Smith was rapidly identified. The next day, October 21<sup>st</sup>, he was tasered and arrested in North London.<ref name=guard/> Police searching his former home in Devon discovered a second possible bomb in its attic, triggering an evacuation of the area.<ref name=guard/>
[[file:DSmithGun.jpg|thumb|right|250px|Smith posing with his BB gun.]]
Smith admitted his offence but claimed it was a harmless prank inspired by YouTube channel Trollstation.<ref name=stand/> He said it was a smoke bomb for Halloween.<ref name=sky/> Police discovered lawfully-owned weapons including a knife, knuckleduster, BB gun, and blank-firing revolver.<ref name=sky/> His iPad had a shopping list for bomb-making equipment which included the phrase "keep this a secret between me and Allah #InspireTheBelievers."<ref name=guard/> Hi computer included pictures of himself with guns, one of which was titled ''2016 an Islamic State fighter''.<ref name=indy/> He was charged with possession of an explosive substance with intent in breach of the 1883 Explosive Substances Act.<ref name=guard/> In order to be found guilty the prosecution had to prove he meant to endanger people or damage property.<ref name=guard/>

==Trial==
Smith went on trial in 2017 at the Old Bailey.<ref name=indy/> At trial he admitted a bomb hoax charge instead of the more serious crime.<ref name=indy/> He was represented by Richard Carey-Hughes QC<ref name=guard/> His lawyer noted the changes Smith made to his weapon's design, claiming "If you’re looking for a bang, you don’t choose something that makes a fizz."<ref name=guard/> However, explosives experts said the bomb was very close to being a viable device capable of serious maimings.<ref name=bbc/> The jury convicted Smith in two hours.<ref name=stand/>

During police interviews and trial Smith behaived abnormally, laughing and smiling. The judge ordered jurors not to hold this against him. The jury was also warned not to be swayed by emotions, be that sympathy for Smith's mental health problems or anger at hi actions.<ref name=guard/>

The judge ruled Smith was not a terrorist but his reasons for the attack were unclear.<ref name=stand2/> On May 26<sup>th</sup>, 2017 Smith received 15 years in prison with an extra 5 years on licence.<ref name=bbc/> This followed Carey-Hughes acknowledging mercy was difficult to seek in such a case, but that this was still appropriate for Smith.<ref name=stand/> He also rejected a psychiatrist's claim Smith had sadistic tendencies.<ref name=stand/> Smith was sentenced days after [[Salman Abedi]] bombed the Manchester Arena, killing 22.<ref name=bbc/>

==References==
<references/>
[[Category:List]]
[[Category:Male]]
[[Category:Living Villains]]
[[Category:Modern Villains]]
[[Category:Imprisoned]]
[[Category:Attempted Murderer]]
[[Category:Vehicular Villains]]
[[Category:Young villains]]
[[Category:Mentally Ill]]
[[Category:Sadists]]
[[Category:Homicidal]]
[[Category:Destroyer of Innocence]]
[[Category:Egotist]]
[[Category:Arrogant]]
[[Category:Tragic]]
[[Category:United Kingdom]]
[[Category:Islam]]
[[Category:European Villains]]