A homemade bomb blast outside the overdose prevention site/sobering centre in Port Alberni by a facility client resulted in a five-year prison sentence. (Image Credit: Google)

By Ian Holmes

damaging blast

Man sentenced for Port Alberni homemade bomb explosion

Mar 2, 2026 | 4:42 PM

PORT ALBERNI — Known to the offender for several years, an employee at Port Alberni’s overdose prevention site (OPS) temporarily lost vision in their eye after a man ignited a homemade bomb outside.

John Mathew Thomsen of Port Alberni was recently sentenced to five years in jail for the late-night March 22, 2024, incident at the Third Ave. facility.

A judgment against Thomsen was made by provincial court judge Alexander Wolf on Thursday, Feb. 19, after the accused pleaded guilty to three explosive-related charges, including causing bodily harm to an OPS worker.

According to facts outlined in court, the victim reported it was near the end of her shift at the OPS facility when Thomsen told her to come outside to show her something.

He was holding a string and lighter, and before she could say “don’t” she remembers being on the ground in intense pain after hearing “the loudest sound”, then feeling intense pain.

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“She details significant injury to her (right) eye including the loss of vision for a period. She details the immense impacts of this on her personally, emotionally, physically, and financially,” judge Wolf told court.

The victim, who reported she was Thomsen’s “safe person”, lost vision in her right eye for several weeks.

Thomsen also sustained a significant injury in the blast.

He had used several substances prior to the offence, including crack cocaine and crystal meth.

The offender, in his mid 40’s, has a long and violent criminal history, as well as mental health and addiction issues.

Surveillance footage captured a large “flash” at the building, followed by people rolling on the ground.

Thomsen, a regular client of the OPS and adjoining sobering centre, had been heard by the victim regularly threatening to “blow up” people, the facility or police.

He was said to be agitated in the lead-up to the blast, including expressing anger to another witness for having a personal item stolen from him.

A pre-sentence report outlined Thomsen’s challenging upbringing, which included neglect and abuse by several caregivers.

Thomsen has an addiction and several mental health diagnoses, including an underlying psychotic disorder.

The report indicated Thomsen, who is of Metis descent, had never participated in any formal substance use programming.

A psychological assessment deemed Thomsen has a moderate to high risk of future violence, suggesting “an urgent need for treatment.”

With credit for time already served, Thomsen has a further three years and three months to serve behind bars.

Judge Wolf’s decision followed sentencing arguments outlined by Crown Counsel and Thomsen’s lawyer.

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