Hoaxer caused mass panic when planted fake bomb on lamppost outside Nisa store
A hoaxer who caused mass panic when he planted a fake bomb on a lamppost outside a Nisa store as a "joke" has been put behind bars.
CCTV footage shows John Maughan attaching a clock to a petrol can and taping it to a metal post outside the shop in Birtley, Gateshead, last November as a prank.
Newcastle Crown Court heard after the device was spotted residents were evacuated to a leisure centre for the day, a 100m cordon was erected and army bomb experts were drafted in.
Maughan, 50, of Morpeth, Northumberland, admitted placing a imitation explosive device with intent but claimed it was a "joke" and has now been locked up for 15 months.
Judge Stephen Earl told him: "All because you fancied a joke, that is not at all the way society sees such matters."
The judge said we live in "dangerous times" and society is concerned about conflict between people with political, ideological and religious differences and with what they see in newspapers and on television about events around the world.
Judge Earl added: "Bombs and similar are not appropriate matters for jokes."Prosecutor Rachel Butt said it was on November 17 last year when a member of the public noticed the device a and contacted the police.
Miss Butt said: "Police attended and located the item. It appeared to resemble an explosive device.
"A 100m cordon was created and residents from nearby properties were evacuated to Birtley Leisure Centre.
"The Explosive Ordinance Disposal team attended, rendered it safe and confirmed it was not a viable explosive device."
Miss Butt added: "The owner of the Nisa confirms the store had to close from 9am to 4pm due to the incident."
There was an approximate loss of £2,000 in sales and £255 in staff wages.
"His statement said the incident impacted him and the staff and they initially thought they might have been specifically targeted."
The court heard the staff initially feared the shop could be attacked again and the management have stated he is "not welcome at my store again".
Maughan, who was caught on CCTV taping the device to the post, was tracked down through the van he was driving and arrested.
Miss Butt said: "He said he stopped at the local store to buy a drink and while inside decided to purchase tape and carry out what he described as a joke.
"He attached the clock to an empty jerry can and fixed it to the pole.
"He said it was a stupid joke and he did not mean to scare anyone and it wasn't intended to resemble a bomb."
The court heard Maughan has 25 convictions on his record, none of which are similar, and he was on a community order for driving offences at the time.
Shaun Routledge, defending, said there have been concerns about Maughan's mental health in the past but he has employment, famly support and was easily identified as being responsible.
Mr Routledge told the court: "It is an unusual set of circumstances."