Chilling photo released of teenager who 'planned mass murder' at North-East college

When Liam Lyburd was found with five pipe bombs, a pistol, and 94 rounds of expanding bullets, along with a “kill bag” he told officers arresting him they had prevented what would otherwise have been a massacre, The nineteen-year-old said it had been his intention to “shoot a bunch of people”, laughing as he was transported to the police station.

Lyburd pleaded guilty at Newcastle Crown Court to nine charges relating to making bombs, home-made explosive devices, possessing a 9mm calibre Luger Glock gun, 94 jacketed hollow point expanding bullets and CS gas.

But he denied eight charges of possessing those items with the intent to endanger life at Newcastle College.

A photo shown in court today which Lyburd had taken of himself.

The court heard that Lyburd had told a woman in Iceland about his intentions, and referred to the Norwegian massacre of 69 students carried out by right-wing terrorist Anders Breivik in 2011.

Nick Dry, prosecuting, said police gone to a house Lyburd shared with his mother and sister on Hamilton Place, Newcastle, on November 3 last year after concerns were raised about postings he had made on Facebook.

Officers immediately noticed a black handgun along with knives, a canister of CS gas and a number of pipe bombs in his room..

Mr Dry said: “He then stated that he had intended to carry out a mass murder at Newcastle College and that the officers had saved lives preventing what would otherwise have been a massacre at the college.

“He repeated that it had been his intention to “shoot a bunch of people”, laughing as he was transported to the police station and speculating he would get four years for it."

Lyburd said he had been kicked out of college three years earlier and intended to go on a “random killing spree”, the court heard.

Police also found a "kill bag" in his bedroom containing a balaclava, safety glasses, elbow and knee pads and a number of pipe bombs with nails taped around them. He had been buying the items from as early as January under user names such as The Joker and I Love My Anger.

The jury was told that Lyburd later said plans for the killing spree had been a fantasy that he had no intention of carrying them out.

Comparison: Killer Anders Breivik

Investigators found images of Lyburd dressed for combat and armed with pistol and brandishing a knife against a wall on which had been daubed Bitch Kill.

It also emerged that Lyburd he had formed a close bond with a woman in Iceland, and had told her of his intentions.

Mr Dry said: “The defendant communicated his hatred of people his hatred of people and desire to kill referring to the Norwegian massacre of 69 students in 2011.

“He was excited at the prospect of those who would survive his attack having to re-live the terror of their experience over and over.

“He discussed shooting commuters on the Newcastle Metro system stating that he would be on Valium at the time.

INVESTIGATION: Police at the scene.

“He said that he had 94 rounds of ammunition and also planned to use the poison gas on a train, resorting to his machete and knives in the event that his gun jammed.”

Police examining his computer found a declaration drawn up a day before his arrest. “You people ruined my whole life don’t expect me to show mercy today,” Lyburd said.

“No one disrespects me and gets away with it. I’ll teach you people a little lesson on respect with my 9mm hollow points. It’s time for extreme civil disobedience.”

The jury heard his hatred for the college had been born out of the time he had spent there as a student in 2012, when he attended for just five weeks.

Records from the college show he had been disruptive in class, had a poor attendance record and had been kicked out for "shocking" behaviour.

Facebook conversations on November 2 showed he was planning to carry out the attack the next day, only for him later to post: "I'm not going to do it today, I just can't."

But Mr Dry said the prosecution did not accept this, given his comments to the police.

Mr Dry said: “This was no improbable fantasy of a naive daydreamer divorced from reality, but a carefully planned revenge attack, constructed and resourced by an embittered yet highly skilled and savvy computer hacker", who identified himself "with those responsible for recent mass killings around the world".

The case continues.