Man’s motivation behind elaborate bomb-scare hoax
BRANSHOLME STREETS WERE EVACUATED
A TERRIFIED woman discovered what she thought was a bomb left outside her home after suddenly spotting a canister seemingly filled with petrol and wired up with a mobile phone and a lighter.
She alerted the authorities and neighbours had to be evacuated and the area in Bransholme was cordoned off while the emergency services and the Army were called in to investigate the matter.
But the frightening so-called bomb turned out to be a cruel hoax carried out by her ex-boyfriend to give her a scare in revenge for problems that they had suffered, Hull Crown Court heard.
Darrel Greig, 45, of Navenby Grove, Kingswood, Hull, admitted placing a hoax bomb on May 14.
Police put a 400-metres cordon in place and evacuated scores of residents while the Army bomb disposal team was called in.
Nigel Clive, prosecuting, said that Greig’s ex-girlfriend woke up to find what looked like an explosive device outside her home in Welshpool Close.
A five-litre petrol canister had been filled with water and there was a mobile phone, a lighter and wiring attached to it.
The police, the Ministry of Defence and the fire brigade went to the scene and the area was cordoned off.
“It was subsequently found to be a hoax,” said Mr Clive.
CCTV showed a man walking up to the house wearing white gloves, filling the canister, placing the hoax bomb and walking off.
Greig was recognised from the way he walked. He admitted to a neighbour that he wanted to scare the woman. He was arrested on May 23.
The woman later said: “There was no way that I could know that it would not explode.”
Greig had convictions for 24 previous convictions, including possessing drugs, theft, public order and driving offences.
Dale Brook, mitigating, said that Greig was unhappy about certain things that had happened involving his ex-girlfriend.
“There was a hoax bomb in this case, not just a hoax call,” said Mr Brook.
“This was not a terribly sophisticated offence. While it looked sophisticated, it was not a terribly sophisticated enterprise.
“This was not a dangerous item but it was made to look like a dangerous item.
What may seem like a prank or a mild threat, obviously and understandably, was taken by the authorities, who have to deal with such a potential threat, in a very serious way.
“There was some disruption in this case.
“His life has been significantly affected over the years by alcohol and alcoholism and he has functioned to a lesser or greater extent on that alcohol but it’s right that his decision-making process on that evening was grossly affected.
“He realises that he has behaved very, very badly and made a very poor decision on that night.
“Now he has a clearer head to appreciate that and he is very sorry.
“He is determined and motivated to turn a corner and live a better life than he has been living.”
Greig was now alcohol-free in custody and he had been trying to get help. He had a new girlfriend, who was pregnant.
“He is feeling better than he has for a long time,” said Mr Brook.
“It has dawned on him that he has more to lose now than previously.
“He appreciates that a life wedded to alcohol is likely to involve criminal offending and time in prison and he needs to sort himself out, dry up and get his head clear.”
Judge Sophie Mckone told Greig: “You wanted her to believe that it was a bomb and, indeed, she did believe that it was a bomb. That was a very frightening experience for her but it didn’t end there.
“Because of how it looked, the Ministry of Defence had to be called to deal with what looked like a real bomb. Neighbours had to be evacuated and so they were, no doubt, inconvenienced but also the emergency services, including the Ministry of Defence, were greatly inconvenienced and put to a lot of time and cost when they could have been doing other things.”
Judge Mckone said of the hoax bomb: “It did not have any chance of going off. It was filled with water.
“There was no chance of it exploding. It’s how it was perceived by those around that is important. Something had to be activated, although, really, it was never going to cause a danger to anyone.”
Greig was jailed for 16 months.