A WEE COUNTY man blew up his girlfriend's kitchen during a failed attempt to extract oil from cannabis, a court has heard.

Craig Middleton watched YouTube videos before rigging up a makeshift still at mid-terrace property in Tullibody.

In doing so, he endangered the life of his partner and the lives of four children who were in the vicinity.

The 33-year-old appeared at Stirling Sheriff Court last Tuesday, April 11, and was told he could be facing prison time.

The incident took place on Northwood Road at around 8.45pm on February 4, 2021.

Middleton was trying to run butane gas through crushed herbal cannabis stuffed into a plastic bottle, but had forgotten to turn off the tumble drier and a random spark ignited a build-up of gas.

The resulting explosion blew the double-glazed kitchen window completely out of its frame and landed 10 metres across the rear garden.

The kitchen door was blown off its hinges and down the hall in pieces.

The plasterboard kitchen ceiling was blown away, revealing the floorboards of a bedroom above.

A small fire started near the cooker and kitchen cupboards and debris blown into the garden also caught fire.

Middleton's partner had just left the kitchen but was unhurt. The children nearby were also unhurt.

James Moncrieff, prosecuting, said: "[The accused's partner] had been making herself a cup of tea, before leaving the accused alone, seated at the dining table, and closing the kitchen door behind her.

"She made her way into the living room and sat down.

"A short time later the explosion occurred, causing significant damage."

The woman left the living room to be confronted by the remains of the kitchen door "strewn" over the hall floor and Middleton staggering out, "dazed and visibly injured".

He suffered serious burns to his face, neck, torso and arms and was taken by ambulance to Forth Valley Royal Hospital at Larbert, and transferred to the burns unit of St John's Hospital, Livingston. He has since made a full recovery.

Firefighters later said the explosion had been caused by the explosion of a large quantity of butane gas, which appeared to have been used in the production of a cannabis derivative known as butane honey oil, or BHO.

Mr Moncrieff continued: "There have been previously several instances of explosions resulting in serious injury and death relating to the illicit manufacture of BHO."

Police recovered the plastic bottle full of herbal cannabis and a Pyrex dish containing recently-distilled BHO from the scene. They also found up to a dozen yellow cans of butane gas lighter fuel scattered about the kitchen and rear garden.

Middleton handed himself in three weeks later, after his release from hospital, and told police: "It was totally an accident."

He said he was a user of cannabis oil, and "due to not having enough money" had watched YouTube videos on making BHO.

Mr Moncrieff said: "He told officers he had filled the plastic bottle with cannabis, poked holes into it, and filled it with gas.

"He was near the tumble drier, which was the only appliance on in the kitchen at the time, and saw a spark."

He said he was unaware of the dangers, and had decided to try the process out after watching "two or three videos".

Last week, Middleton pleaded guilty to culpably and recklessly endangering the lives of his partner and the four children in the house.

He also admitted producing a controlled drug.

Sheriff Derek Hamilton, who studied photographs of the destruction, deferred sentence until May 9 for reports.

He continued bail, but warned Middleton: "You should not take that as an indication that a custodial sentence will not be uppermost in my mind."