Pregnant woman avoids jail after bomb hoax at West Bromwich Police Station

Stacey Wheeler made a 999 call suggesting there was a bomb at West Bromwich Police station, resulting in a search of the building.

Judge James Burbidge, hearing the case at Wolverhampton Crown Court, was told how the 30-year-old made the call out of frustration. In interview under caution, she told police she was upset over a lack of response, she claimed, over domestic abuse.

Mr Burbidge said Wheeler, who has a personality disorder, required rehabilitation, adding she was not a ‘lost cause’.

She was given a four-month prison sentence, suspended for one year, and given a one-month night curfew.

Sentencing her, he said: “You made a bomb hoax call to West Midlands Police from a mobile phone. You spoke to a 999 operator, you were abusive to the operator.

“You made another call suggesting there was a bomb at West Bromwich Police Station.

“Staff at the station reviewed your mobile phone (number) so were aware of previous calls and they were able to understand it was not a serious call.

“Although resources had to be diverted to check.”

Mr Simon Rippon, prosecuting, said officers carried out a search of the police station and surrounding area in the wake of the call on July 12.

After discovering the call to be a hoax, the officers went to Wheeler’s home address – Grants Close in West Bromwich. Wheeler was not there so they attended a second address in West Bromwich where they found her in a bedroom in an ‘agitated and excitable state’.

Mr Rippon said: “She was arrested and interviewed under caution.

“She said she did it because police had done nothing in relation to domestic violence she had suffered.

“She said she had not received the support needed.

“She said this led to her to make a spur of the moment decision to make a bomb hoax call to the police.” the mobile phone used to make the call.

Mr Oliver Woolhouse, defending, said Wheeler suffered from mental health problems. He said she had also been victimised by people in her housing estate.

He said: “Thankfully, whilst they (police) had to take it (the bomb hoax) seriously, it wasn’t a diversion of resources of the scale Your Honour is often aware of.

“The officers were diverted for a few minutes to carry out a search of the surrounding area and there was just two officers.”

Wheeler, who is seven months pregnant, pleaded guilty to communicating false information to the police at an earlier hearing.