Central Library bomb-hoax dad spared prison
A FATHER who called in a bomb hoax at Central Library days after the first anniversary of the Arena atrocity has been spared jail.
Abdinasir Hashi, 46, left a Tesco bag for life in a booth at the city centre library. He then walked out and called 999 from a phone box, saying that there was a bomb.
Manchester Crown Court heard that in a bid to avert mass panic, the fire alarm was triggered so the public did not hear of the threat.
Police arrived and quickly realised that there was no bomb. The bag contained three small empty bottles of wine.
The court heard that Hashi, a fatherof-five from Old Trafford, suffers from significant mental health issues, and also had a drink problem.
Judge Michael Leeming said that Hashi could be spared jail, to continue work to battle his drink problem and for treatment to address his mental health problems.
Prosecutor Jane Dagnall told how the incident occurred on May 25 last year, days after the first anniversary of the Manchester Arena bombing, where 22 innocent people were killed.
Hashi had originally gone into the library at about 1.10pm, and left at around 3.50pm.
Shortly after leaving the library, Hashi went into a red phone box outside and placed the hoax call to the operator.
There was no mention of the Arena attack during the call, the court heard.
The police officer who responded to the incident at the library said she felt ‘sheer terror.’
She feared that it could have been a ‘chemical attack.’
Hashi was only arrested in December last year. He was picked out on Market Street from a description police had of him.
When he was cautioned, Hashi told the officer that he worked for MI6.
He was deemed not to be fit to interviewed and was sectioned under the Mental Health Act.
He was interviewed in April, and gave a ‘no comment’ interview.
Ian Hopkinson, the library’s operations manager, said the incident caused ‘massive disruption.’
There were hundreds of people there at the time.
Sentencing, Judge Michael Leeming said: “The authorities had no way of knowing that the suspect article was not viable, and that the threat was not capable of being carried out.”
Hashi, of Addison Crescent, Old Trafford, was sentenced to 14 months in prison, suspended for two years.
The judge ordered him to carry out a mental health treatment program, and complete 20 rehabilitation activity requirement days. He said Hashi had strong personal mitigation, and a realistic prospect of rehabilitation.
Defending, Rob Lancaster said that Hashi, who has 13 previous convictions, has since got sober after referring himself for treatment.
Mr Lancaster said that Hashi has ‘little recollection’ of what happened, and that he was mentally unwell at the time.
He has since undergone treatment for his mental health, the court heard.
Hashi pleaded guilty to an offence of communicating false information.