John Larsen: Former mayor 'blew up cars near his house because he got a thrill' Former Lib Dem councillor John Larsen, 46, lived in Denbigh, north Wales Series of explosions damaged cars and frightened residents Large blast sent shrapnel 90ft into houses, hitting a bed in one property Prosecution allege Larsen was getting a 'thrill' from the dangerous activity Larsen denies the charges, the trial continues Former Lib Dem town councillor and town Mayor John Larsen denies charges of causing explosions and arson A former Liberal Democrat town councillor who had an 'active interest in pyrotechnics' got a 'thrill' from setting off dangerous explosions in his own neighbourhood, a court heard today. John Larsen, 46, of Denbigh, north Wales, made his own Improvised Explosive Device (IED) which he used the blow up a Land Rover Discovery near his home Caernarfon Crown Court was told. The former town Mayor was also the man behind a string of explosions which had been causing fear in the community, the prosecution claim. Wyn Lloyd Jones, prosecuting, told a jury of six men and six women that after his arrest on April 19 this year, police found files on Larsen's home computer containing research notes about how to make explosives. One file was named 'gun powder mix' while another was named 'experimentation' - that file contained notes about charges, fuses, flash powder, 'rockets and shells,' and notes about various chemicals. The court was told that just days after the files were created, explosions were reported in the Lenten Pool area. Mr Lloyd Jones said the biggest explosion caused by the IED placed under the 4x4 car on March 24 this year sent metal shrapnel flying up to 90ft away from the blast zone. One ball bearing even lodged itself in the headboard of a nearby house. 'It's fortunate indeed there was nobody in that bed,' Mr Lloyd added. The prosecutor said there was a 'strong and compelling' case against the defendant, who had been the Mayor of Denbigh in 1999 and was a member of the local Neighbourhood Watch. Mr Lloyd Jones told the jury: 'Not surprisingly there was media interest in what was going on and the defendant voiced his opinions. The prosecution say the defendant was responsible for these loud bangs and explosions and the damage to cars and property. Because of the connections he had, he acted in breach of trust towards the community in which he lived. He was arrested on April 19 and since then there have been no further incidents. 'The prosecution don't have to prove a motive but it is highly likely the defendant was getting a thrill from what he was doing and the attention these events were generating. Police at the scene of one of the explosions from a home-made device in the sleepy market town Items recovered by police from his home, from his computer, reveal a most active interest on his part in pyrotechnics. The court was told that members of the Denbigh community had been reporting plumes of black smoke late at night for a number of weeks and Audi, BMW and Renault cars had been damaged by fire. The series of smaller explosions apparently started in February and led up to the "main explosion" on March 24. Mr Lloyd Jones a neighbour of the defendant's witnessed him going out at around 12.45am and 'bending down' by the vehicle 'as if to look under it'. The court heard that neighbours reported windows shaking and a bang sounding like 'the boom of a cannon'. 'It will come as no surprise to you that these events brought fear to the local community,' the barrister told the jury. He said that numerous residents had been reporting explosions and loud bangs to the police. The prosecution say that the defendant John Larsen was the person responsible for these loud bangs and explosions. On one occasion in March Larsen had phoned police to report a loud bang 'appearing to be the responsible citizen in an attempt to put police off the scent,' Mr Lloyd said. The court heard that Larsen had also been reporting his 'concerns' about explosions to the police. But the prosecutor said this was an attempt by the defendant to "put police off the scent" and that what he had down amounted to a breach of the community's trust in him. Larsen, wearing a grey suit, white shirt and tie, is charged with three counts of arson, one count of causing an explosion likely to endanger life or cause damage to property, one of count of causing an explosion with intent to endanger life or damage property and one count of possessing explosives. He denies the charges.