Man jailed for possession of explosives recipe

A man from Leeds has been sentenced to three years and nine months in prison for possessing a handwritten recipe for gunpowder.

Martyn Paul Gilleard was further sentenced to four years on extended licence and will also be subject to a Serious Crime Prevention Order for five years and terrorism notification requirements for ten years.

The 49-year-old admitted one charge of possessing information of a kind likely to be useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism, contrary to Section 58 of the Terrorism Act 2000.

West Yorkshire Police recovered the document from his home address in May 2025, as part of an intelligence-led search. It was passed to Counter Terrorism Policing North East for further investigation.

He pleaded guilty in June.

Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East said: “Officers were concerned to discover a handwritten recipe for black powder during a search at Gilleard’s home in May; a recipe later verified by experts as potentially viable.

“Possessing information about the manufacture of explosives will always raise serious questions. Gilleard has chosen not to explain or defend the presence of the recipe in his home, instead pleading guilty to possessing information useful to a person committing or preparing an act of terrorism.”