An 18-year-old Stafford teenager who confessed to 'worshipping serial killers' and threatened to blow up his college has been detained for three years and nine months. Jagger Strang, once described as a 'bubbly' boy, became 'obsessed' with violence and developed a 'fascination' with killers and terrorists.
Threats and Manifesto
Strang's alarming behaviour was exposed when he let slip that he 'idolised' violent criminals, shared an 'ultimate bingo card' of murderers, and convinced others he wanted to detonate a bomb at Stafford College. He penned his own 'manifesto', writing: 'I'm writing this before I do something big, something violent, maybe serial killing, maybe a rampage.' The teenager even claimed he 'wanted to be like' serial killers he admired, including Sandy Hook shooter Adam Lanza.
Sentencing at Birmingham Crown Court on Monday, June 29, Mr Justice Wall said Strang was an 'isolated young man' with 'problems' at home who had 'not properly come to terms with his family's move from South Africa to the UK'. The judge accepted that Strang had pleaded guilty on the basis that 'he had no intention of building a bomb', but noted his 'curiosity' was 'fuelled by an interest in killers and killing'.
Police Investigation and Evidence
Staffordshire Police arrested Strang in September 2025 after students raised concerns with teachers about his comments at Stafford College. Prosecutor Matthew Brook said Strang told fellow students he 'idolised serial killers', had 'colour coded his favourite' killers, and asked if anyone could lend him a pressure cooker to 'blow up the college'. Strang shared images and videos on Snapchat of himself with 'homemade weapons' and sent content relating to the Crimea college massacre, American serial killer Jeffrey Dahmer, an 'ultimate bingo card' of serial killers, and Southport child killer Axel Rudakubana.
When arrested, police found homemade weapons in Strang's bedroom, including a blow pipe. His phone contained recent searches about 'various killers' and 'how to make a remote detonator'. A 'manifesto' was also discovered, along with chemicals including gunpowder and thermite. Police found two YouTube videos: one titled 'how to make a detonator from improvised materials' and another about manufacturing black powder.
Defence and Sentencing
Charles Miskin, defending, said Strang's actions were an 'immature reaction to real life issues'. He described Strang as 'not evil' but someone who 'behaved badly', adding: 'He is not radicalised. He is not a visitor of the dark web.' Strang, who had no previous convictions, admitted seven offences: two counts of possession of an explosive substance (gunpowder and thermite), two counts of possession of information likely to be useful for terrorist purposes (the two videos), one count of making a threat to kill, one count of threatening to destroy or damage property, and one count of possession of a prohibited weapon (a blow pipe).
Mr Justice Wall told Strang: 'I accept that you made no plans to do anything of this nature. You were at most, contemplating following in their [serial killers'] footsteps.' The judge warned that gunpowder and thermite 'are not toys'. Strang was detained in a young offenders institution for three years and nine months.
