A MAN accused of causing a van to explode in the middle of a street and therefore injuring an officer has been found not guilty.

Ryan Bonnell, of no fixed address, stood trial at Basildon Crown Court this week after being accused of starting the blaze and endangering life in connection with the incident in Rylands Road, Southend on July 22, 2021.

This aftenoon the jury took four hours and eight minutes to return a verdict of not guilty.

During the trial the jury has been told a police officer was thrown backwards by the explosion and suffered burns to her face, arms and hands and cuts to her upper body.

After the verdict was announced Judge Samantha Cohen thanked the jury for their time and released them.

Speaking today during his closing statement, prosecutor Mitchell Cohen told the jury Bonnell, 41, ignored the risk of causing an explosion and did not make sure people he knew were present were safe.

Mr Cohen said: “He unreasonably took a risk by releasing the gas into the van, ignoring that risk and danger.

“He did not stop to make sure people he knew were about were safe.

“He had lighter fluid to sniff it and he deliberately released it into the back of the van. He knew and knows precisely why it ignited and it was nothing to do with a key fob.

“He says he modified the wiring in the back of the van where the experts agreed is where the explosion happened.

“Our case is however the ignition happened, if you fill a small unventilated, windowless space like the back of a van with gas, the reasonable thinking people would think there’s a risk of explosion.”

The court was also told Bonnell opted to give no evidence during the trial.

Jurors were told during the trial four police officers were called to the scene amid concerns Bonnell was going to attempt to break into a property he had recently been evicted from.

Outlining his closing argument, Nick Bonehill, defending, urged the jury to find his client not guilty.

He said: “When looking at the evidence you can be nowhere close to say you are sure of his guilt.

“He gave a full account to the police, the case is so unclear he doesn’t need to comment. He was in shock afterwards and didn’t expect that to happen. This was an accident.”