A former magistrate on bomb charges asked friends if they knew anyone who could help him have someone killed, a jury was told.

Jonathan Wilkes, 40, was in the Oxfordshire Yeoman pub in Freeland, near Witney, with friends Andy Kay and Paul Whelan at the begining of 2000 when he asked Mr Kay, a former soldier, if he "knew how to get somebody knocked off", Oxford Crown Court heard yesterday.

The prosecution alleges Wilkes built nine bombs found in woodland at Freeland and Syreford, near Cheltenham, to attack the new boyfriend of his ex-girlfriend.

Mr Whelan, a pilot, who was introduced to Wilkes by Mr Kay, said: "John was talking to Andy and asked him if he knew anybody who could get somebody knocked off."

Simon Mayo, prosecuting, then asked: "What did you understand this to mean?"

Mr Whelan replied: "To hurt somebody seriously or perhaps even kill them."

Mr Whelan said he had asked Wilkes what he meant.

"He said he knew a girl in the Bristol area. She was a drug addict and she was trying to kick the habit and unfortunately this drug pusher was impeding her rejection of drugs. He wanted to hurt him or get him killed," he said.

Det Sgt John Brothers told the court he visited Wilkes, who has firearms licences, on November 24, 2000, and found a powder used to fire bullets which was used in the bombs.

Explosives expert Keith Ritchie examined the bombs.

He said: "Anyone within several metres of such a device would suffer very serious injuries, possibly fatal."

Former Bicester magistrate Wilkes, who used to live in Wroslyn Road, Freeland, admits making the bombs but denies two charges of unlawfully possessing explosive devices with intent to endanger life and two of unlawfully possessing explosive devices.

The trial continues.