A VAN explosion left a police officer with blood dripping down her face and a catalogue of injuries, including nasty burns, a court heard.

Ryan Bonnell, of no fixed address, is standing trial at Basildon Crown Court after being accused of starting the blaze and endangering life.

Yesterday, the jury heard how Bonnell, 41, was sat inside the vehicle outside a home he had been evicted from when it exploded.

The explosion threw a police officer backwards and left her with burns across her body.

Prosecuting, Mitchell Cohen said: “On July 22, 2021, police were called to a home in Rylands Road, Southend, to reports the defendant was in a van in front of a property and there was concern he would try and get into the property that he had been previously evicted from.

“Four police officers were called to the scene and there was a loud explosion in the van and one of the windows was broken.

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“A police officer was thrown backwards and suffered burns to her face, arms and hands and cuts to her upper body. She also had her hair singed and a damaged ear drum.

“He was seen the exit the van using a sliding door on the side. He complied with police and he also had burns to his face and arms.

“The fire in the van became worse and an ambulance attended to treat the officer and the defendant.”

He said the defendant made comments during his arrest about not knowing how the fire started and he thought it was exposed wires that sparked.

Bonnell also stated he did not mean to start the fire and did not intend for anyone to be hurt.

Mr Cohen told the court Bonnell admitted during a police interview he had issues with solvent abuse and had about ten or 12 cannisters of butane lighter fluid in the van on the day.

Giving evidence in court a police officer who attended the incident told the court he heard his colleague screaming and saw her in pain.

He said: “She was quite frantic and was crying. I could see she was hurt. There were lots of fragments of glass in her face.

“She also had several cuts to her arms and a small amount of blood trickling down her face.”

Bonnell denies a charge of arson being reckless as to whether life was endangered.

The trial continues.