Port Alberni man who injured woman with homemade bomb sentenced to five years

Bomber jailed for 5 years

Photo: VIA GOOGLE STREET VIEW

Judge Alexander Wolf wrote in his decision that there was nothing accidental about John Mathew Thomsen’s actions or the fact that he was solely responsible for causing an explosion.

A Port Alberni man has been sentenced to five years in prison for setting off a homemade bomb outside a supervised injection site in an explosion that left an employee with shrapnel lodged in her eye.

John Mathew Thomsen pleaded guilty to three charges related to having an explosive device, including failing to use reasonable care to prevent an explosion that resulted in bodily harm.

Thomsen was prohibited from possessing explosives at the time of the March 22, 2024, incident, according to the provincial court sentencing decision published recently.

The injured staff member told police that she had known Thomsen for three years and he considered her his “safe person.”

She said Thomsen asked her to come outside so he could show her something “really important.”

She saw something in his hand with a string “that she knew was not good” and he had a lighter in his other hand, the decision says.

“She remembers hearing the loudest sound she has ever heard and then feeling the most intense pain, like her eye was on fire. She thought she was blind.”

She lost her vision for several weeks as a result of shrapnel being lodged in her eye.

Thomsen was crying after the explosion and was also significantly wounded.

The woman believed the explosion was an accident, according to the sentencing decision.

“Remarkably, I am left with the impression that the victim has no hard feelings towards the accused, and did not even initially report the incident to the police,” Judge Alexander Wolf wrote in his decision.

For two years prior, Thomsen had regularly threatened to blow up people or the supervised injection site or the police, the woman said in a statement to police.

“He loves bombs and explosions. He is always talking about it,” she said.

At the time of the explosion, Thomsen was living in a local shelter, according to a pre-sentence report, which says he had a “complicated upbringing” and was neglected and abused by caregivers.

An older report quoted a psychiatrist as saying that “years of alcohol and drug abuse have caused organic brain damage” and that Thomsen demonstrates a “psychopathic flare.”

He has never been to treatment, seen a counsellor or participated in any programs for his substance use, according to the report, which notes that upon release, Thomsen intends to continue using marijuana and crystal methamphetamine.

“He calls this being ‘soberish,’ as he would not be consuming alcohol, or using heroin or any other substances. He states that marijuana and crystal meth help him manage his mental-health issues, particularly his ADHD. The subject intends to limit his use of crystal meth once he starts to ‘hear voices’ or when he hasn’t been getting enough sleep.”

Thomsen has had some success with programming while in custody, but is not interested in attending treatment, the report says.

He has been diagnosed with several disorders, including stimulant-use disorder, fetal alcohol spectrum disorder, antisocial personality disorder, and unspecified psychosis that is believed to be substance-induced, says a psychological assessment prepared for sentencing.

He is deemed at a moderate to high risk for future violence, says the report, which details a lengthy criminal history, including convictions for assault causing bodily harm and sexual assault.

Wolf said in his decision that he accepts Thomsen was not trying to harm anyone and that he is remorseful.

“However, the facts are also clear. He made threats to blow things up. He made a bomb. He carried it to the scene on more than one occasion. He invited/lured the victim outside, and once the victim was within close proximity, he took the explosive device out and lit it. There is nothing accidental about these actions or the fact that he is solely responsible for causing an explosion,” the judge said.

Thomsen’s defence lawyer argued he should receive a sentence of time served or a small amount of additional time, while the Crown recommended a three-year probation order.

Wolf said “the crime of creating and exploding a bomb is very serious,” and Thomsen’s moral culpability is “extremely high.”

Wolf said he found no reason to believe Thomsen would abide by probation conditions and said he is a danger to the public until he participates in programming, counselling and treatment.

Thomsen has credit for nearly two years of time served in pre-trial custody, reducing his remaining sentence to just over three years.