April 1999 Nail bomb attacks

The 1999 London nail bombing attacks were a series a bombings from April 17th - April 30th 1999, perpetrated by a then 23 year-old David Copeman. His attacks resulted in 3 deaths (including a pregnant woman) and 162 non fatal injuries.

His motive was an attempt to "start a race war". His targets included Brixton market, although the bomb was moved into a nearby Iceland after people became suspicious, the second bomb was planted on Hanbury Street. He was mistaken in thinking it would be most effective on a Saturday, rather than the Sunday when the street market would be in effect meaning it would be busier with pedestrians. Again, the bag he dumped caused suspicion and when a pedestrian placed the bag into the boot of his car to take to the police station, it exploded. So far, 13 people had been injured.

The last bomb was placed in 'The Admiral Duncan' pub, which was located near the gay scene. This proved to be the most successful as three people died including a husband and his pregnant wife and their would be baby's godfather. Twenty seven others were injured with four people requiring amputation for their injuries.

David Copeman was caught after police put his photo captured on cctv to the public. When they arrived at his house, they found two nazi flags hanging up on his bedroom wall as well as newspaper articles about the bombings.

When the police arrived, he admitted it was him who carried out the attacks before adding he had made them by himself.

He was taken to Broadmoor Hospital for mental evaluation, where they found he did not suffer from any mental illness.

The Jury convicted him of three murders and three offences of planting bombs, and he was sentenced to six life sentences on 30 June 2000. The trial judge spoke of his doubt that it would ever be safe to release him. On 2 March 2007, it was decided by High Court  that he should remain in prison for at least 50 years, ruling out his release until 2049 at the earliest, when he would be 73.

You can watch a decent documentary here which includes footage of the bombs exploding.

I remember doing a vast amount of research on copeland and his Bombing Spree, he used to have visions of pinhead from hellraiser and would have dreams of being an SS officer and torturing women. His first bomb at Brick Lane was narrowly avoided by many, multiple people moved and picked up the bomb whilst it was armed and one person even stole the bag and left the bomb barebones in the street in which people ignored it and some thought it was a joke, until some guy decided it would be safer to bring into the entrance of an Iceland Supermarket right before it detonated.

Fucking chav. Hope he gets stabbed to death by a gay/immigrant prisoner.

He greatly inspired Thomas Mair.

One of the most underrated mass murder cases in my opinion.