Murder trial off in courts bomb hoax
MOLD Crown Court was evacuated and the surrounding area cordoned off by police following a bomb threat.
The crossbow murder trial and a large number of other cases had to be abandoned yesterday following a hoax bomb call.
North Wales Police, a canine unit, and Welsh Ambulance Service attended to evacuate the complex and cordon off the surrounding area just before noon yesterday.
By then both crown courts had been abandoned.
The Flintshire County Council building was also evacuated until the building was deemed safe.
But many people involved in the cases were unable to leave because they had personal property in the building.
It took four hours before the all-clear was given so that people could re-enter Mold Law Courts.
The magistrates’ court continued with some of its cases after 4pm.
The alarm was initially sounded at about 11.45am and the building evacuated while the murder trial was in session.
In the other court, a jury was about to retire, and in the magistrates’ court, a sentencing case was being mitigated.
Barristers, solicitors, and other court users were evacuated into the car park and then made their way to Theatr Clwyd and the Glasfryn public house while police sealed off the area.
Specially trained sniffer dogs were brought in and a detailed search of the court building was carried out.
A decision was taken partway through the afternoon to abandon the crown court cases until next week.
Magistrates and council staff reentered the complex after 4pm.
Police immediately launched an investigation to trace the hoaxer.
Courts always deal very seriously with people who are convicted of making hoax calls which cause such severe disruption to judicial proceedings and the wasted costs involved.
Back in 2017, a woman was jailed for eight months in similar circumstances where the law courts at Mold had to be abandoned for the day.