Man guilty of possessing homemade explosive after Barrie supportive housing evacuation
Gordon Locking, 66, was found guilty in a Barrie courtroom Wednesday to several weapons charges, including possession of an explosive substance, stemming from an incident at a supportive housing complex.
The court heard Locking had struggled with his mental health and housing insecurity for several years and had been living at the former motel along Essa Road in March when police were called about a possible homemade bomb.
The motel, along with neighbouring businesses from Fairview Road to Anne Street, had to be evacuated while officers safely recovered an improvised explosive device (IED).
The court heard Locking had duct taped together an aerosol can of bug spray, a butane canister and a road flare.
The Crown said the homemade explosive, while far from sophisticated, worked.
- Man arrested after IED found at Barrie supportive housing complex
- Allegedly armed man arrested after boarding Barrie bus
The court heard that two days before the incident, Locking was arrested at the Barrie bus terminal after reports of a man wearing tactical gear and carrying a gun and knife on a bus.
The court learned Locking violated a 10-year weapons ban at the time.
Locking has been in custody since his March arrest.
His sentencing hearing is scheduled for early December. Locking’s defence requested a pre-sentence report outlining his past struggles be ordered for the court to consider when deciding his punishment.
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