Man who booby-trapped house ‘like Home Alone’ to protect drugs business jailed
A drug lord who rigged his house with trip wires and home-made ‘pipe bombs’ after being inspired by the film Home Alone has been jailed.
Ian Claughton, 60, installed the booby traps at his home in Brierley Road, Grimethorpe, Barnsley, South Yorks., to protect it from intruders looking for cannabis he was growing.
Inside officers found adapted ‘crow scarers’, similar to banger type fireworks and two 12v battery connected air horns attached to trip wires to deter anyone breaking in.
It was also revealed he had planned to put a third device inside a bag of paint to mark any intruder.
Shocking video footage shows Claughton using a homemade flamethrower which police also found in the house alongside two primed mantraps, guns, and a crossbow.
Claughton told officers he installed the traps after being inspired by the iconic Christmas film Home Alone.
The discovery came after raided his house on and two linked neighbouring addresses on May 8 2024 following UK Border Force intercepting a package at Heathrow Airport which was sent from China.
It was addressed to Claughton’s ex-wife’s neighbouring home in Brierley Road.
Inside five silver and black ‘switch gun’ five-shot folding revolvers were found, which are illegal to import into the UK other than in certain circumstances.
The guns were later confirmed to be realistic imitation firearms.
Concerns over the nature of the devices discovered at Ian Claughton’s address in the village of Grimethorpe, Barnsley, prompted a huge multi-agency operation lasting three days.
During the investigation, dozens of nearby residents evacuated as a 100-metre cordon was put in place while Army bomb squad experts were called in.
During the raid, officers arrested Claughton.
longside the booby traps they also found two potential firearms and four large plastic bags of cannabis buds, with an estimated value of £16,000.
A cannabis growing set-up with 24 plants was found hidden in a secret room at one next-door property and at his ex-wife’s home, 1.5kg of amphetamine was found.
An array of imitation firearms was also found along with a crossbow and a home-made flamethrower, fashioned from a fire extinguisher filled with petrol.
Claughton was seen demonstrating it on a video recovered from his phone.
A large amount of cash was recovered, including £27,000 found stitched into a sofa.
Officers conducted urgent interviews with Claughton to assist bomb disposal experts in assessing the suspicious devices found at the property so the scene could be made safe.
His home had been targeted by burglars previously, who were believed to be looking for the cannabis grow.
Claughton told officers he got the inspiration for his booby traps from the Macaulay Culkin film Home Alone.
He told officers he had ordered the imported ‘switch guns’ believing they were blank firers that he intended to use at a themed birthday party.
He said the amphetamine was his to use for weight loss and chronic fatigue, and that he had been growing the cannabis under duress and threats from unnamed others and that he had not benefited financially.
Claughton and his ex-wife Lesley Claughton, 59, were later charged with firearms and drugs offences.
Claughton pleaded guilty to bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country, being concerned in the production of cannabis, and two counts of possession with intent to supply Class B drugs, amphetamines and cannabis.
Though he denied three counts of possessing prohibited firearms - one in relation to the flamethrower, possession of criminal property in relation to the recovered cash; and possession of explosive substances.
Following a trial at Doncaster Crown Court, which concluded in November last year, he was convicted of those offences but was found not guilty on one of the firearms charges relating to a stun gun found at his address.
Lesley was found guilty of bringing a realistic imitation firearm into the country, possessing Class B drugs, cannabis and amphetamines, with intent to supply; possession of criminal property and being concerned in production of cannabis.
On Tuesday (Feb 10), both were sentenced at Sheffield Crown Court.
Ian Claughton was sentenced to seven years and Lesley Claughton was sentenced to 21 months suspended for two years.
Senior Investigating Officer, Detective Superintendent Al Burns, of the Yorkshire and Humber Regional Organised Crime Unit, said: “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, drawing inspiration from Macaulay Culkin’s character in the popular Christmas film Home Alone.
“When he tried to import realistic looking firearms from China, which were diligently intercepted by UK Border Force staff, we became involved and carried out raids on his addresses.
“This investigation is an excellent example of how national and local law enforcement agencies can work alongside the military, partners in other emergencies services, and local authorities to keep the public safe.”
Detective Superintendent Emma Wheatcroft, who was the Superintendent of Barnsley and silver commander at the time, said: "This incident caused some real concern and disruption within the community of Grimethorpe, with some residents having to be evacuated from their homes.
"Firearms and weapons such as these have no place on our streets, where innocent people live and work. Thankfully, no one was hurt during this incident, but that could have been very different.
"We will continue to support our colleagues from the YHROCU in their operations tackling the importation of firearms into this country and will continue to work hard to keep the residents of Barnsley safe.”