RAF Cosford bomb hoax man jailed for 16 months
Wednesday 14th December 2011, 12:35PM GMT.
An RAF Cosford trainee has been jailed for 16 months after admitting sparking a bomb scare at the airbase while suffering bullying and depression, a court heard.
Christopher Emsley, 21, made a package from a five litre tin and a circuit board before putting it near fencing at the base, near Albrighton.
He then took a picture of it and called emergency services, which scrambled a helicopter and 16 police officers, fire and ambulance crews and the Army bomb squad to the scene, Shrewsbury Crown Court heard.
Emsley, who lives at the air base but is from Albrighton, had previously admitted a charge of placing an article with intent on July 11 and appeared at Shrewsbury Crown Court for sentencing.
The court heard that Emsley had been struggling with bullying and depression when he made the package as a cry for help.
Judge Robin Onions, sentencing Emsley, said the matter was ‘extremely serious’ and Emsley had ‘no excuses’.
He said: “This item had the appearance of an IED bomb to the untrained eye such as mine or the police officer first on the scene.”
Mr Robert James Edwards, prosecuting, told the court at 8.10pm on July 11, the police received a call from Emsley, saying he had found a suspect package at the base. He then rang local newspapers, radio stations and television to attract attention to the story.
Miss Debra White, for Emsley, said he had been suffering bulling and depression and it was a cry for help.
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