A south-east London teenager has appeared in court today accused of sparking a ‘bomb’ alert at North Greenwich Tube station.

Damon Smith, 19, is charged with unlawfully and maliciously making or possessing an explosive substance with an intent to endanger life or cause serious injury to property.

He is alleged to have made or acquired the substance between October 18 and October 21 contrary to section 3(1)(b) Explosive Substances Act 1883.

A controlled explosion was carried out last Thursday after a suspicious device was found in a backpack on a Jubilee line train.

The item comprised a flask, powder, ball bearings, a clock timing device, a battery and an initiator.

The station was evacuated and closed for several hours.

Smith was arrested by armed police on Friday in Holloway Road in north London.

Appearing at Westminster Magistrates' Court, Smith spoke only to confirm his name and address.

He entered no plea to the charge but defence counsel Simon Eastwood indicated his client, who has a form of autism, would be pleading not guilty on the grounds that it was a prank.

Smith, of Abbeyfield Road in Southwark, was remanded in custody to appear at the Old Bailey on November 17.