Accused 'confessed poison plot'

Councillor John Wright was among the intended recipients

An alleged terrorist told the mother of his children he had been involved in a plot to send poisoned parcels through the post, a court heard.

Wayne Cook made the admission to his former girlfriend after he went on the run, Manchester Crown Court heard.

Mr Cook, 45, of Tyldesley, Manchester, denies two counts of using noxious substances to cause harm.

He is accused of sending vodka bottles filled with caustic soda to a Scottish journalist and a Lancashire councillor.

Police 'after him'

The court heard Mr Cook allegedly sent the miniature bottles to Blackburn with Darwen councillor John Wright and journalist Myra Philp in April 2007 as part of a campaign by the Scottish National Liberation Army (SNLA).

Postal staff intercepted the parcel to Mr Wright but the second made it to Ms Philp.

It was accompanied by a note threatening to kill English people "at random and with no discrimination or compunction" in order to convince the British Government to withdraw from Scotland.

Another man, Steven Robinson, has pleaded guilty to the same charges Mr Cook denies.

Mr Cook's former partner Marie Holmes told the court that he had turned up at her house in Blackburn in May 2007, saying the police were "after him" for "something he had done".

'They've got me'

Asked by Paul Taylor, prosecuting, whether Mr Cook had spoken about being trouble, Miss Holmes said: "He had made some stuff. Him and his mate."

He also told her he had posted the substance to three addresses - to MP Jack Straw, to an address in Blackburn and to a third, unspecified address.

The court heard how Mr Cook stayed with Miss Holmes for a week before moving on to the house of Miss Holmes' niece, Cathy Willoughby, where he was arrested.

In a written statement, Miss Willoughby said that when officers came to her home Mr Cook said: "They've got me, they've got me. Let them in, let them in."

Later Ms Philp told the court how she had received "hundreds" of e-mails from the SNLA during a decade-long campaign of harassment.

Mr Wright fought back tears as he recalled the day he was told that a package containing poison had been intercepted before reaching him.

He said: "I remember physically shaking at the thought - at what could have been a life threatening package sent to me in my role as an elected official."

The case continues.