Drug Dealer's 'Home Alone' Booby Traps: Flamethrowers, Trip Wires & Explosives
A paranoid drug dealer and his wife transformed their home into a fortress of booby traps, including flamethrowers, trip wires, and explosives, in a bizarre scheme inspired by the classic film Home Alone. Ian Claughton, 60, and his wife Lesley Claughton, 59, rigged their property in Grimethorpe to deter thieves targeting their illegal cannabis and amphetamine business.
Elaborate Defences Uncovered by Police
Detectives became suspicious after border force officials intercepted an order from Lesley Claughton's eBay account for realistic imitation firearms from China. Executing a search warrant at their home on Brierley Road, officers discovered two linked neighbouring addresses filled with dangerous devices.
His Honour Judge Reeds KC described the scene, stating, "It was rigged up with explosive devices, fashioned from a flame thrower made by a fire extinguisher." Police found homemade pipe bombs, two firearms loaded with rubber steel projectiles, and an array of imitation weapons, including a crossbow.
Inspiration from Film and Sinister Warnings
Ian Claughton admitted to police that he drew inspiration for his booby traps from Macaulay Culkin's character in Home Alone, after previous burglaries targeted his cannabis grow. He claimed the traps were adapted crow scarers attached to trip wires to deter break-ins.
Officers discovered chilling handwritten notes at the property. One warning read, "WARNING. Do not enter these premises unless invited to do so. The premises and its surrounding buildings, yard are booby trapped. You have been warned." Another note congratulated intruders for getting far, advising them to "get measured up for your coffin and say goodbye to loved ones," claiming a gate was electrified with over 50,000 volts.
Drug Operation and Legal Consequences
Inside the home, police found two rooms filled with cannabis plants and a large amount of cash hidden in a sofa. Ian Claughton was planning to sell the cannabis in Leeds for an expected £40,000. The judge noted that while the business was Ian's idea, Lesley was "happy to share in the proceeds" and encouraged the illegality for her own benefit.
Ian Claughton pleaded guilty to charges including bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country, production of cannabis, and possession with intent to supply Class B drugs. He was convicted of additional offences after a trial, receiving a seven-year jail sentence. Lesley Claughton was found guilty of similar charges and given a 21-month suspended sentence, with a Proceeds of Crime Act hearing scheduled for a later date.
Police Response and Siege Mentality
Senior Investigating Officer Detective Superintendent Al Burns commented after the trial, "Ian Claughton is someone who was clearly involved in drugs offending to a very significant degree. He appears to have developed a siege mentality that saw him go to unusual and elaborate lengths to defend his home and its illicit contents from would-be intruders."
The case highlights the extreme measures some criminals take to protect illegal operations, blending Hollywood inspiration with real-world danger in a grim tale of paranoia and crime.
