A MAN who set off a home-made explosive in Bolton town centre has been given a three-year community rehabilitation order.

Stephen Davies appeared at Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester, for sentencing after he had earlier pleaded guilty to possessing explosives.

The 46-year-old, from Breightmet Drive, Breightmet, had ignited a home-made explosive in Bolton town centre. He took gunpowder from fireworks to make the crude bomb which, when set off, injured passer-by Clifford Unsworth in St George's Street in March last year.

Judge Iain Hamilton said a prison sentence would not have benefited Davies nor the community. Davies had been in custody for eight months before being granted bail late last year. While on remand at Forest Bank prison, he was said to have been badly treated and bullied by inmates. He will undergo psychotherapy with Bolton Primary Care Trust as part of the community rehabilitation order.

Judge Hamilton said he was of previous good character. He added: "Clearly this is a very serious offence. In normal circumstances there might be an expectation of a prison term of three years or more. But Mr Davies pleaded guilty at the first chance and he has no previous convictions."

After Davies set off his explosive, a part of the town centre had to be cordoned off as detectives launched an investigation into the incident. Homes and businesses were also evacuated.

When police searched Davies' home, they found more explosives, other small bombs, including a device inside a tube of mints, as well as machetes, knives and shotgun pellets. During an earlier hearing, a court heard that Davies liked making things and emptied the contents of fireworks into a ballcock. He made another fake one to play a practical joke on his brother.

He had made the proper explosive device because he intended to set it off on the moors surrounding Bolton.