Pitsea man made bomb ‘to protect family’ after asking chatbot

The jury heard how in a journal entry on 1 July 2025, Banham wrote: “The goal of Project Prometheus is to manufacture high quality black powder [gunpowder] that, in the event that it is needed, can provide an effective defence of the family home.”

The entry continued: “I aim to achieve this not through direct injury caused, but rather through shock and awe tactics, loud bangs and blinding flashes can disorientate and deter any threat.

“However this alone may not be sufficient, so I have also decided to design a device that can cause injury or death to be used as a last resort, but this is a long way off – first we must achieve the basics.”

As well as the explosive device, officers discovered a number of containers with gunpowder inside, as well as an invoice for a kilogram of sulphur, bulk-bought matches and a number of fireworks, when they raided Mr Banham’s flat.

“Mr Banham’s behaviour had at some stage been escalating,” Shroff told the jury.

“What may have started with unusual but still legal activities, such as learning how to hunt or survive in the wild, slowly became a desire to learn about – and then make – gunpowder.

“He developed.. a frustration about what the law does and does not allow you to have – and his frustration led to action,” she continued.

“He placed orders, he made purchases and he conducted experiments. He did so in his home, close to where his young children no doubt were.”

“People cannot be sat in the privacy of their homes – completely unbeknownst to the emergency services, to the general public and to those who protect us – creating or perfecting potentially deadly weapons or substances ‘just in case’,” Shroff said.

Banham is charged with possession of an explosive substance with intent, and the trial – which is expected to last up to two weeks – continues.

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