A man has been jailed for six years after his home was found filled with how-to guides, chemicals and components that could be used to make explosives.

Extremism and counter-terrorism officers who raided Alexander Giles's South Wales home also found US army manuals, recipes for the manufacturing of explosives, a Taser and class A drugs.

Swansea Crown Court today heard the 33-year-old had an "obsession" with collecting chemicals used for dangerous explosives – but had no connection with terror groups and had no plans to manufacture them.

Prosecutor Catherine Richards said Wales extremism and counter-terrorism officers raided Giles's home in Port Talbot, South Wales, in October 2017, and when asked if he had any items of concern, he replied "nothing to harm anyone", Wales Online reports.

In his cluttered home, police found containers of chemicals including hydrogen peroxide and Acetone, which could be used to create explosives, and four publications containing instructions and recipes to manufacture them.

The publications included the Anarchist Cookbook, the US Army Special Forces guide to unconventional warfare devices, the US Army guide to booby traps and a guide titled Flash Powder – Wikipedia.

Police also found a Taser disguised as a torch, incapacitating sprays and evidence of the production and possession of class A drug crystal methamphetamine.

He later pleaded guilty to 23 counts of possessing an explosive substance, three counts of possessing prohibited weapons and the possession and manufacture of class A drugs.

Kevin Seal, defending, said Giles had no plans to actually create any explosives, while the drugs were for personal consumption and not to sell to others.

Judge Paul Thomas called the case "unusual" and accepted Giles was more of a "nerd" than a "threat" and did not intend to create explosive devices.

But he said possessing the illegal chemicals posed a "risk".

Judge Thomas said: "You are not connected with any terrorist organisations or groups or movements, or had these for anything other than self-obsession with these materials.

"You are obsessive rather than maliciously motivated."

Giles, from Aberavon, Port Talbot , was sentenced to six years in jail.

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