Terror charges postman in court

Postman Jefferson Azevedo is charged with 19 offences

A postman has appeared in court charged with planting a hoax bomb and sending letters containing white powder, racist content and threats.

Jefferson Azevedo, 45, of Langley Road, Portsmouth, is accused of a total of 19 offences, nine of them under the Anti-Terrorism Act.

One charge relates to the alleged planting of a hoax bomb on a footbridge over the A27 near Havant last year.

Mr Azevedo was given bail to appear at Southwark Crown Court on 28 May.

The charges relate to allegations of sending letters to the Attorney General in London, the Royal Naval Dockyard in Portsmouth and a primary school in Havant over a period from 2003 to 2007.

Tests on the white powder revealed it was virtually harmless in the amounts found.

During a brief hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' court District Judge Timothy Workman committed his case to crown court.