Man who placed fake bomb outside shop jailed

A man who said placing a fake bomb outside a shop was "just a joke" has been jailed.

John Maughan, 50, stuck the device onto a bollard outside a shop in Birtley, Gateshead, on 17 November, forcing a number of properties to be evacuated.

His actions led to an Explosive Ordnance Disposal team being called to the scene, which confirmed the package did not pose a risk to the public.

Maughan, of Lyneburn Cottages, Morpeth, initially pleaded not guilty to the charge of placing a hoax bomb with intent, but later changed his plea at Newcastle Crown Court and was sentenced to 15 months in prison at the same court on Wednesday.

Det Con Chester Dixon, from Northumbria Police, said Maughan's actions were "no laughing matter" after the criminal initially tried to suggest the device was "just a joke".

Dixon said it was "an incredibly reckless and disruptive act carried out with absolutely no regard for the fear it would cause within the community".

"The presence of a suspected device quite understandably alarmed residents and required a significant emergency response to ensure everyone's safety."

Using CCTV, Maughan was tracked down within hours of the fake bomb being reported and arrested at an address on Eslington Terrace in Newcastle.

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