Durham Tees Valley and Newcastle Airport bomb hoax bomb caller jailed
05.12.07
A teenager who made hoax calls saying he would detonate bombs at Durham Tees Valley and Newcastle Airport has been jailed. Shaun Stuart rang police eight times in March and April saying he had planted explosive devices at the airports. The 18-year-old also told 999 operators he was going to shoot the Prime Minister and the President of the United States.
Mr. Stuart, of Prince Consort Road, Bensham, Gateshead, was caught and arrested as he used the same telephone box to ring in all of his threats, Newcastle Crown Court was told. He admitted two counts of communicating false information with intent and asked for a further six offences to be taken into consideration.
Miss Rachel Curry, prosecuting, said Stuart began making his latest string of calls on March 27. He made three calls saying he had planted explosive devices at Newcastle Airport, as well as saying he had a gun and a bomb attached to himself. In one call he claimed he had planted a bomb at the Northumbria Police Headquarters in Ponteland.
She added: 'The defendant was released on bail for these matters and went on to make further calls in April. He rang 999 and said there were 18 bombs planted at Durham Tees Valley Airport and challenged the operators to find them if you can.'
He was arrested and released on bail again, but still made further calls threatening to kill the President of the United States. When interviewed by police he told officers he made the calls because 'he thought it was funny.' The court was told Mr. Stuart was given a community order for making similar hoax calls in 2006.
Jailing him for 12 months, Judge Tim Hewitt said he was nothing more than a nuisance. Judge Hewitt said: 'This sort of grossly irresponsible behaviour can cause a great deal of anxiety and concern among members of the public. It wasted a lot of police time to investigate these matters. The time has come for you to learn that misbehaviour such as this does have consequences.'
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