Hoax bomb caller narrowly avoids prison term

John Williamson – who had previously received a High Sheriff commendation from a Recorder at Birmingham Crown Court for helping to apprehend a robber – was told he was lucky to not be given a jail sentence.

The 31-year-old, of Queen's Road in Smethwick, did not know why he made the calls, Wolverhampton Crown Court was told. He called 999 in the early hours of the morning after a nail bomb attack at the Kanz-ul-Iman mosque in Binfield Street saying a bomb had been left in the Queen's Head pub in Londonderry Lane, Smethwick.

Prosecutor Miss Joanne Barker yesterday told the court: "The first call made reference to the mosque in Tipton where a bomb had exploded. Mr Williamson said the people responsible were in the Queen's Head public house in Smethwick and that a bomb was about to go off there.During a second call he again said there was a bomb in the Queen's Head, in exactly seven minutes."

Defending Williamson, Mr Jasvir Mann said his client was 'at a loss' to explain his actions. Mr Mann added: "He had been drinking and candidly acknowledges he drank more than usual. But he is unable to explain why he did what he did."

Williamson had pleaded guilty at an earlier hearing to communicating false information about a bomb.He was handed a six-month jail term, suspended for 18 months.

Williamson was also given a 12-month community order, told to do 200 hours of unpaid work and pay costs of £360. Judge Michael Dudley told him: "People who perpetrate bomb hoaxes can cause very significant disruption and extreme worry.

"It is a very serious matter. You have just escaped prison."