Man jailed after waging terror campaign

A MAN who sent suspicious packages containing white powder to schools, retail outlets and shopping centres during a six-week hoax terror campaign has been jailed.

In 2013, Gary Preston, 64, sent threatening letters along with 42 suspect envelopes to various locations across the UK, causing panic and evacuations.

His targets included the DVLA headquarters in Swansea, Westfield Shopping Centre in London, Freeport Shopping Centre in Braintree, Transport for London, and a Premier Inn close to Stansted airport.

He also targeted St Michael’s primary school, Lyons Hall primary school, and Notley high school in Braintree, Anglia Ruskin University, Essex County Council, and other local businesses such as Vision Express, Coral, Specsavers, Barclays and Costa Coffee.

Some of the notes included Arabic text with phrases including: “Think fast, you have seconds Inshallah.”

The white powder was later found to be talcum powder, but the hoax campaign caused widespread disruption and fear.

Preston had no links to any of the establishments and there was no apparent motive for sending the letters and notes, prosecutors said.

Arrested for a separate offence in July 2020, police established him as the main suspect after matching his DNA to that found on the packages.

Handwriting analysis also confirmed that he had written some of the notes. He was subsequently charged with 21 offences of sending a hoax substance and pleaded guilty to all charges in August 2023.

Following a cold case review, Preston’s DNA from a jacket was then also linked to an indecent assault at knifepoint against a woman in Rainham, Essex, in 1988.

He pleaded guilty to indecent assault and possessing a knife during the incident in November 2023.

Appearing at Woolwich Crown Court via videolink from HMP Chelmsford, Preston spoke only to confirm his name during the sentencing hearing and was jailed for a total of nine years and six months, and placed on the Sex Offenders’ Register for life.