Bomb threat hoaxer is sentenced

A hoax caller who threatened to carry out terrorist bomb attacks on coaches travelling to a tourist attraction has been given a suspended prison term.

John Pendlebury Carter made three threats to Knowsley Safari Park, in Merseyside, in the space of an hour.

The 54-year-old of Barrow, Cumbria, was traced by police making the calls in his home town on 27 October.

He pleaded guilty to making bomb hoax threats and was sentenced to 50 weeks in jail suspended for two years.

'Passengers will die'

The hearing at Furness Magistrates Court heard that during one of the calls to the park in Prescot, Carter told emergency services it was a "9/11 serious call".

The call continued: "Cancel all coaches attending Knowsley Safari Park or all passengers will die.

"This is serious."

Sentencing him Judge Anthony Russell QC said: "It is clear you are an inadequate person who needs some help and assistance, and you will not receive that in prison."

Carter was also given a 18-month supervision order with the Probation Service.

Defence barrister Roger Baldwin said: "Bomb hoaxes range from the sinister to the very stupid. In my submission this was at the bottom end of that range.

"He says he wishes to God he understood why he did what he did."