Man pleads guilty on election bomb alert
AMAN sparked a bomb alert on election day by leaving a suspicious package near a polling station.
Unemployed Peter Conoboy, 48, from Motherwell, pleaded guilty yesterday to placing the package at Glen Tower, Motherwell, on December 12, last year, with the intention of inducing people to believe it was likely to explode or ignite.
The High Court in Glasgow heard that bomb disposal experts rushed to the scene. The incident happened on the day of the UK General Election and a community room at the block of flats was being used as a polling station.
The court heard that fourth-floor resident Barry McLellan spotted the package around 5am in the foyer when he went downstairs planning to go outside for a cigarette.
Prosecutor Isla Davie QC said: “As he exited the lift on the ground floor he noticed a blue Adidas shoe box lying unattended.
“He looked inside the box and saw a phone and what he thought might be old tools or equipment.”
Mr McLellan went for a cigarette and when he returned saw the box was still there. On closer inspection he saw a white cable connected to a mobile phone and phoned the police.
Ms Davie said: “The device appeared relatively sophisticated, containing wiring, tubing, a phone and a putty-type substance. However, it was later confirmed it contained no explosive hazard.”
The court heard residents in the flats were evacuated to Wishaw Sports Centre and the polling station had to be relocated.
A cordon was set up and a bomb disposal team arrived with specialist equipment, including a robot capable of bomb destruction. Ms Davie added: “The experts believed the device could potentially be a viable explosive and a controlled explosion was carried out.”
CCTV footage obtained by police from the flat showed Conoboy, who lived in the tower block, placing the box in the lobby. His DNA matched samples taken from the mobile phone. Ms Davie said: “His mobile phone and laptop were examined to try to provide some possible motive for the incident.
“This did not recover anything which indicated any particular political affiliation or radicalisation. There was nothing linked to any instructions or how-to making the device.
“The only item of note consisted of five videos of terror activity including the London Bridge attack and also Christchurch, New Zealand attack.
“There was nothing recovered to indicate he was a supporter of these incidents.”
His flatmate, when questioned by police, said Conoboy never spoke about politics or the upcoming election.
Ms Davie added: “Mr Conoboy made no comment to police and the motive behind this incident remains unclear.”
Solicitor advocate Billy Lavelle, representing Conoboy, will give his plea in mitigation when the case calls again.
Judge Lord Matthews continued it until next moth for background reports. guides for