The case against a man accused of an explosives charge has been dropped - after the prosecution said it would not be in the public interest to proceed.

David Ralph Hewitt Banning, aged 67, of Ballanard Road, Douglas, was accused of making or having possession of explosives under suspicious circumstances - an offence under the Explosive Substances Act 1883.

Army bomb disposal officers were called to Mr Banning’s home and an empty bungalow round the corner on Port-e-Chee Avenue on October 5 last year to deal with potentially explosive materials.

Neighbours were told to stay indoors and some residents on Tromode Park, whose homes border the back garden of the bungalow, were evacuated.

At the Court of General Gaol Delivery on Tuesday, Deemster Alastair Montgomerie formally withdrew the explosives charge after the prosecution stated it would offer no evidence.

Mr Banning had previously pleaded not guilty and three weeks had been set aside for a trial.

But prosecutor James Robinson said that while it was a serious allegation it was his view that it was ’no longer in the public interest to take the matter to trial’.

He said that since Mr Banning was charged, he had been diagnosed with an autistic spectrum disorder.

Mr Robinson said the trial would have cost a significant amount of money and a number of experts, including Armed Forces personnel, would have had to attend.

He said there was a question of whether the trial, if started, could have run to its completion. It was a ’very unusual and exceptional’ case, he said.

Mr Robinson said the chemicals in the property have been destroyed.

Deemster Montgomerie said withdrawing the evidence in the public interest was ’very sensible in the circumstances’.

He bound Mr Banning over to keep the peace and be of good behaviour for a period of two years, with a recognisance in the sum of £1,000.

The Deemster then removed his wig to sit as a Deputy High Bailiff to sentence Mr Banning on a charge of cannabis possession.

A total of 83.2g of cannabis with a street value of £475 had been found when police searched the Ballanard Road address at the time of the explosives call-out.

He pleaded guilty to possessing the drug for personal use.

The court heard he had a long history of cannabis and alcohol misuse.

Defence advocate Dawn Jones said following the death of his parents, her client had ’spiralled downwards and was out of control’.

The court heard that since his arrest, he had now stopped using the drug.

He had undergone an intensive therapy course and was having 8am to 8pm care, and was in a ’very positive routine and leading a much healthier and happier life’.

Mr Banning was fined £500 for the cannabis offence.

One further offence, possession of a Webley air pistol without a certificate, was ordered to lay on file and not be pursued without leave of the court.

Deemster Montgomerie told Mr Manning as he left court: ’You’ve now got a life to look forward to. I would not expect a judge to see you again.’