By Karin Yeske

Conditional discharge handed in pipe bomb explosion case

Feb 4, 2014 | 4:09 PM

A Saskatoon man who blew his hand off while experimenting with a pipe bomb is walking away with a conditional discharge.

Dylan Gibson was charged after the bomb he was making exploded in his parents garage on Wentworth Crescent. When police arrived on Oct. 11, 2013, they found Gibson had severe injuries and his friend Aaron Stonehouse was also hurt.

Gibson and three of his friends had been inspired by the TV show Mythbusters to create a homemade pipe bomb out of curiosity. They created a pipe using a copper tube which was stuffed with hundreds of matches. They capped the ends but when Gibson drilled into one of the caps, it ignited the bomb and the bomb exploded.

Judge Albert Lavoie wanted to impose a sentence that would send a message to other young people about the dangers of experimenting with explosives but one that would not leave Gibson with a criminal record.

“What you did was so incredibly dangerous,” Lavoie told Gibson, who stood dressed in a black suit in a Saskatoon courtroom. “It is lucky no one was killed.”

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A criminal record for explosives may have led Gibson to be added to a special list in relation to international flying restrictions and barred him access to the U.S.

Gibson’s conditions include one-year probation, 30 hours of community service and prohibited from using firearms for 10 years.

“Imagine the horror of first responders arriving on the scene,” Lavoie told Gibson, who nodded in agreement. Lavoie said he expects Gibson be accountable for his actions and share his misfortunes when asked about them.

Defense lawyer Rich Gabruch, who had requested some form of discharge, said the sentence is what they hoped for.

“It is satisfying that the system worked. I know that Judge Lavoie had to look at it closely and wrap his head around a few things,” he said, adding this situation had little case precedence to refer to.

The sentencing was scheduled for 9:30 a.m. Tuesday but adjourned to give Crown prosecutor Janet McIvor and Gabruch an opportunity to review the case to see if there would be a jurisdiction to grant a discharge.

Since the incident in October, Gibson, who lost five fingers, has created a YouTube video to warn people about the dangers of making a homemade pipe bomb.

Void of sound, a slide reads, “I tried to make a homemade explosive and while doing so I thought I was doing everything ‘right.’”

The video then shows a photo of Gibson’s hand shortly after the blast.

“No matter how safe it ‘may’ be it is not, it is very dangerous,” another slide reads.

“I am thankful and lucky it was only my hand but it could easily have been my arm, face or even killed me.”

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