12-hour police investigation sparked by Telford kidnap 'joke'
A man sparked a 12-hour police investigation costing thousands of pounds after telling officers he had kidnapped someone and tied them up in a warehouse, a court heard.
The late night manhunt was eventually called off after Craig Findlater told officers it was "only a joke" – but not before detectives had been dragged out of bed and back into work and 16 officers deployed on the case.
Police were unable to respond to other calls that came in as every available officer was drafted on to the case, Telford Magistrates Court was told.
But justices spared unemployed Findlater a jail term – and he will only have to repay a fraction of the cost to police in investigating the hoax.
The 22-year-old, of Bishopdale in Brookside, Telford, pleaded guilty to a single charge of causing wasteful employment of police when he appeared at court yesterday.
Mr Adam Warner, prosecuting, said: "At 10.30pm on December 3 last year, West Mercia Police received a call from a Katie Long.
"She reported that a friend of hers, Mr Findlater, had told her he had kidnapped another person called Jason, tied him up and put him in a warehouse in Halesfield.
"He told her it was an act of revenge for providing evidence against his brother at court when he was found guilty."
Mr Warner told the court officers spent four hours searching Findlater's home and nearly three hours at Halesfield searching for possible locations.
Detective Chief Inspector Peter Davies was asleep at home and called back into work and scores of other officers stayed behind after shift to work overtime in the search, the prosecutor said.
"Officers conducted an interview with Findlater," Mr Warner told the court. "He told them it was all a joke and that a kidnap had not taken place.
"Six officers from CID were stood down from the investigation five hours after the report came in, all being paid overtime.
"The leading officer spent 12 hours and 20 minutes on the case.
"Because of the time that was spent, they were not able to respond to calls."
Mr Warner said 16 officers spent a combined total of 71 hours and 30 minutes on the case and estimated the cost to the force was "well in excess" of £2,000.
Mr Mike Freeman, for Findlater, said his client had some "family issues" but refused to elaborate on them in court.
"There was a conversation that took place between Miss Long and Mr Findlater," he said.
"She telephoned him – but he did decided to play a joke on her.
"It was an extremely stupid joke, and a bad taste joke. But it was a joke."
Mr Geoff Bailey, chairman of the bcnch, told Findlater it was a "very serious offence" and that the cost to police, in terms of finance and manpower, was "enormous".
But justices sentenced him to a two-year conditional discharge - meaning he will escape punishment for the offence if he stays out of trouble during that time.
He will only pay £250 towards the police costs in the case.
"Don't become involved in any such foolishness again," Mr Bailey told him.
