Teenager jailed for threatening to 'blow up' Stafford College

An 18-year-old man has been jailed for three years and nine months after making threats to blow up Stafford College.

Jagger Strang, of Stafford, appeared at Birmingham Crown Court today, after having pleaded guilty to seven offences at Leicester Crown Court on May 6.

Strang had previously pleaded guilty to two counts of possession of an explosive substance, two counts of possession of information likely to be useful for terrorist purposes, making threats to kill, threatening to destroy or damage property, and possession of a prohibited weapon in a public place.

The pleas were entered on the day his trial was due to begin.

The courts heard that in September 2025, Strang - then aged 17 and a student at Stafford College - told other students that he had access to weapons and intended to blow up the site.

Staff at the college raised concerns, prompting officers to act.

Strang was arrested at his address shortly afterwards on the same day.

During a search of his property, Police uncovered a quantity of chemicals, along with homemade black powder (gunpowder), and thermite.

Officers also uncovered a blowpipe.

Upon examination of his mobile phone, officers uncovered ‘deeply concerning material’, including a manifesto and internet searches relating to mass killers, as well as instructions on how to make bombs and remote detonators.

Strang was subsequently charged and remanded in custody.

Detective Inspector Dave Rowlands, at Staffordshire Police, said: “This was an extremely concerning case involving a teenager with a clear and troubling fixation on violence. The threats he made caused genuine fear among students and staff.

“Thanks to the vigilance of the college community and the swift response from Staffordshire Police, we were able to intervene quickly and prevent any potential harm.

“We take all reports of this nature incredibly seriously. I would urge anyone with concerns about similar behaviour to come forward and report it so we can take action.”

Strang moved from South Africa to the UK with his parents, where it was said that he ‘transformed’ from a ‘nice kid’ to a teenager obsessed with violence.

The arrest was also made after it was reported that he had videos of himself torturing cats.

His manifesto made references to ‘famous’ serial killers, including the Sandy Hook school shooter, reading ‘I am writing this before I do something big, something violent, maybe serial killing, maybe a rampage’.

Frank Ferguson, Chief Prosecutor of the Special Crime and Counter Terrorism Division, said: “Jagger Strang demonstrated a disturbing fixation with violence, supported by the material recovered from his devices and the threats he made to others.

“This case was not prosecuted on the basis of terrorist motivation or ideological intent.

“However, his actions posed a very serious risk to those around him and required a robust response.

“Today’s sentencing reflects the seriousness of these offences.”