A FORMER RAF mechanic from Redditch has told a court he bought two hand grenades from abroad because he found it “extremely thrilling”, but never intended to use them.

Alex Piatt-Green, aged 52, of Fulbrook Close, admitted attempting to possess an explosive substance.

The charges say he tried to get two fragmentation grenades “in circumstances that give rise to a reasonable suspicion that he would not have them in his possession for a lawful object”.

He has claimed in a basis of plea that he did not intend to use them and insisted to a judge that he was acting out a “fantasy”.

His basis of plea has been deemed unacceptable to the prosecution, which meant he was asked to give evidence during a trial of issue on Friday (October 13) to determine whether the basis can be accepted.

The Old Bailey heard he ordered the weapons late last year and they arrived at his home in Redditch, a month later in January.

He claimed that once they arrived he tried to dump them in a nearby skip.

After being unable to locate it, he then left them in a bin near his home, the court heard.

Under cross-examination by prosecutor Peter Ratcliff, he said he had weapons training and had handled munitions while working in the military.

He also said he had been under the influence of a “cocktail of drugs and alcohol” when he paid more than £500 for the grenades.

The buyer is thought to have been in the US, the court heard.

The prosecutor asked: “What was the persona, what was this person you were pretending to be… in your head?”

He replied: “It is wrong and it is the thrill of doing something very wrong that will magnify with my current state of mind and my use of drugs and alcohol.”

The prosecutor asked: “Why were you prepared to spend real live money that you had earned on these things?

The defendant replied: “It was extremely thrilling.”

The court heard he had exchanged a message with the seller saying “if everything goes well I will be back for handguns and rifles”.

Later the prosecutor asked: “You have got some experience of munitions, you were in the forces. What do you think would happen if you put two fragmentation grenades in a skip?”

He replied: “It is a dangerous place to leave them.”

The prosecutor continued: “It is about as dangerous place as you can leave them. The first thing you can guarantee in a skip is it’s going to get knocked about a bit.”

He replied: “Yes.”

Addressing the judge, the prosecutor said: “This was a very deliberate attempt to secure munitions by a defendant with a very real interest in establishing… a relationship with a munitions supplier.

“This was not a fantasy land at all".

Mr Justice Jeremy Baker remanded him into custody before passing sentence on November 10.