A drug dealer has been sentenced to seven years in prison for booby-trapping a series of homes with Home Alone-style devices to deter intruders. Ian Cloughton, 60, was convicted last November on drugs and firearms charges following a trial at Doncaster Crown Court alongside his ex-wife Leslie Cloughton, who was given a 21-month suspended sentence for two years. The couple faced charges of involvement in the cannabis trade, having cultivated and distributed the Class B drug from three properties near Barnsley, South Yorkshire (UK). During the trial, the court heard that Cloughton and his then-wife had "fortified" the homes in Grimethorpe, a village on the edge of the town, using items such as modified bird scarers, fishing lines, electric stun guns, and even a homemade flamethrower. In a hearing before the jury, Senior Prosecutor Helen Chapman said: "If you are thinking now that this is a bit like a Home Alone movie, you are right." Around 130 neighboring properties were evacuated while a specialist bomb disposal team dealt with the traps. Searches also uncovered "huge sums of cash" hidden in the three homes, including £27,000 (around $36,000) stitched into a sofa, as well as a bow and arrow, crossbow bolts, a knife, and large quantities of amphetamines hidden in places like a bread bin and a chocolate box. In fact, this is exactly what Ian Cloughton stated when he reported these devices to the police." Cloughton's workshop bore a warning sign outside telling intruders to "Get ready and take your measurements so coffins can be made for you," according to The Guardian. Cloughton, who was convicted of three counts of possessing prohibited firearms, stolen property, and explosives, denied intending to harm anyone who entered the homes, despite the warning sign at his workshop, and told the court he made the flamethrower from a fire extinguisher to "impress" people. The couple were arrested when border force officers intercepted parcels from China addressed to Leslie containing imitation firearms. This led to police raids on the three homes.
