Dressed to kill
MADE from deodorant cans, this is the fake suicide vest worn by a man who brought terror to Tyneside.
When Maxwell Brannen, 28, forced his way into the offices of Jobcentre Plus in Byker, Newcastle, and took staff hostage, police feared they were dealing high a highly dangerous and armed bomber.
But as he begins his prison term today, we can reveal how Brannen’s bizarre behaviour :
sparked significant fears of an imminent terror attack led to a tesnse hostage situation, and how police safely defused the situation after almost 90 minutes.
Acting Supt, Dave Pickett, has also told how hostages’ bravery was vital in bringing the incident to a safe conclusion.
“At that very early stage it became clear through witness statements that we were dealing with an agitated individual who appeared to have explosives strapped round his waist,” he said.
“Our primary objective was to preserve the life of those inside the Jobcentre and the surrounding area and it was a huge operation.
“The victims involved were terrified and the way they conducted themselves during the hostage situation is truly amazing. Their bravery has to be commended.
“They were also vital in us setting up a line of communication with Brennan and getting him on the phone to our negotiators was crucial.”
CCTV captured Brannen walking at speed towards the Jobcentre just as staff were opening at around 8am on June 9.
Dressed in dark clothing and carrying a large black bag, he pushes his way past a man inside the building.
With his eyes concealed behind sunglasses, Brannen can be seen gesticulating towards a number of workers in a seating area, before ordering most of them to leave the building.
He then ordered one woman staff member to tie up one of the two men also being held hostage.
Three workers then remain inside the building as Brannen is seen pacing up and down, in an apparently agitated manner, in front of them before putting his bag and other items down and sitting on one of the chairs.
Believing a potential suicide bomber was inside, armed officers were quickly deployed.
They very quickly shut nearby roads, created a cordon and closed Byker Metro station.
One-by-one the hostages were released by Brannen until only one male staff member was left alone with him.
Around 23 minutes into the siege specialist negotiators were able to make contact with him through a phone belonging to the last remaining hostage.
Brannen, of Shipley Walk, Byker, is then captured on camera alone inside putting his hands up and looking nervously around, as if he has become aware that armed police are now at the scene.
He then stands up with his hands raised and moved slowly across the room all the while looking around him.
The officers were able to persuade Brannen - who insisted he just wanted more support for mental health issues - to release the final hostage.
Footage then showed him following police’s orders to remove his clothing.
He then walked out of the Jobcentre wearing only his boxer shorts and was safely arrested an hour and 18 minutes after entering the building.
It was only then police established that Brannen’s fake suicide vest was made up of deodorant cans and components of a games console which he had tucked inside a stab vest.
He also had a fake detonator, disguised as a dictaphone, strapped to the vest and was carrying a holdall stuffed with wires to give the impression it was a bomb, along with a machete and a kitchen knife.
Acting Supt Pickett said: “His victims will suffer from the trauma of this incident for the rest of their lives but I hope this lengthy custodial sentence brings them some closure.”
At Newcastle Crown Court yesterday, Brennan was jailed for five years and four months after admitting offences of false imprisonment, possession of a bladed article and communicating fake information about a bomb hoax.