Swedish home nuclear tester faces jail

A SWEDE arrested for trying to split atoms in his kitchen faces two years in jail.

Richard Handl admitted having radioactive radium, americium and uranium in his flat.

Handl, 31, said he had tried for months to set up a reactor and kept a blog describing a meltdown on his stove. He claims he only realised it was illegal when he sent a query to the Radiation Authority which called in police.

Yesterday he said: "I have always been interested in physics and chemistry." He added he just wanted to see "if it was possible to split atoms at home".