Bomb hoaxer plagued by toothache wanted police to shoot him
A MAN frustrated by the asylum process – and struggling to get help for toothache – sparked a major alert when he told police he had a bomb.
Meysam Kordi’s actions led to a huge emergency response.
The 32-year-old called cops, telling them he had attached explosives to himself. He fashioned a fake bomb vest.
His threats were taken seriously until bomb disposal experts examined the bogus vest and deemed it non-viable.
Kordi, who came to the UK from Iran in November 2018, said he wanted armed police to attend at his flat and shoot him, Manchester Minshull Street Crown Court heard.
Armed officers were scrambled to the scene, on Birch Lane in Dukinfield and cordoned off the area. Businesses had to be evacuated and residents were told to stay indoors and keep away from windows.
Eventually, Kordi came out of his flat and removed the vest.
He has now been jailed for a year.
A judge said the incident caused ‘real fiscal loss’ and had a serious impact on the community.
Prosecutor Duncan Wilcock said the drama unfolded on January 16 this year.
Kordi made a call to police and appeared to be speaking though an interpreter.
He said he was ‘frustrated about issues with the Home Office.’ Kordi also said he had been denied access to free healthcare, which had resulted in him ‘losing his teeth.’
“He told police he had made previous attempts on his own life and that he had attached explosives to himself,” Mr Wilcock added.
“The defendant told them he wanted police to attend and for them to be armed.”
Kordi told police he didn’t want to hurt them, but that he wanted them to shoot him.
The interpreter with the defendant asked if there was anything police could do to help.
“Release me of this life,” was the reply.
“Firearms officers negotiated with this defendant with the help of an interpreter,” the prosecutor said. “Over time, he came out and removed his outer clothing and took off the vest he was wearing.”
The defendant was arrested at the scene.
James Preece, defending, said his client - who has no previous convictions - was ‘deeply, deeply sorry’ and that he had ‘no intention of harming anyone.’ He said the defendant ‘bitterly regrets his actions’ and was having ‘feelings of desperation’ at the time.
“The reason for that desperation were the problems he was suffering with his teeth,” Mr Preece added.
“He said that for six months he was suffering with severe toothache and had lost a lot of his teeth and that he needed paperwork to see a dentist.
“He did eventually get that paperwork and was able to get treatment. He was suffering from depression and there was frustration in relation to the asylum process.”
Judge Bernadette Baxter said this ‘did not justify’ what Kordi did.
She said it was a ‘planned and premeditated’ incident, which resulted in ‘great public expense and inconvenience.’
Meysam Kordi, of Birch Lane, Dukinfield, admitted placing an article with intent to cause fear; and sending false messages with to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.