No jail for threat to bomb casino

Army veteran’s guilty plea

A 33-YEAR-OLD army veteran who threatened to “blow up” Wrest Point Casino on Anzac Day last year has avoided a prison term.

Aaron Wilton pleaded guilty to making a false threat of danger, after calling 000 and telling the operator: “I’m about to walk into the f...ing casino with a bomb strapped to my chest and I’m going to blow this house up.

“I am also carrying a pistol and if anyone comes near me I will shoot the f...ers.”

The court heard that Wil- ton had begun drinking some 13 hours prior, and was so intoxicated he has no recollection of making the phone call, or even if he was ever at the casino.

“There was no bomb and no firearm, but the emergency number operator was not to know that,” Justice Robert Pearce said. “A number of police units and other resources were sent to the casino but nothing was found.

“The threat was rightly taken very seriously by the police but no members of the community were put in fear. If that were different I would have taken a different view about the sentence.”

Wilton was convicted and sentenced to two months’ imprisonment, suspended for 12 months, and was also ordered to perform 105 hours of community service.