Bomb hoax 'nuisance' locked up

May 3 2007 By Paul Beard, Birmingham Mail

A MAN who triggered a bomb scare at Birmingham International Airport has been jailed for two years after blowing a chance he was given to avoid a prison sentence.

Peter John Wheeler, 34, of Chilvers Grove, Kingshurst, pleaded guilty at Warwick Crown Court earlier this year to a charge of perpetrating a bomb hoax at the airport.

Judge Patrick Eccles QC branded him "a complete nuisance" and added there was no knowing what he would do next.

At first, in an earlier hearing, he had warned Wheeler not to expect anything other than the appropriate custodial sentence, then after reading report adjourned the case for him to be assessed for a place at a hostel.

But at a resumed hearing the court heard that Wheeler, had ruined that chance by failing to comply with the hostel's rules.

Judge Eccles told him: "Bomb hoaxes can create great alarm, as well as a lot of inconvenience and expense.

"It is plain from the reports you find yourself unable to cope with independent living within the community. But the fact is there is no evidence you are mentally ill.

"For 12 years you have been offending to try to get attention. You have become a complete nuisance to society, and there is no knowing what you will do next if you don't get to grips with what is haunting you."

The charge said that Wheeler informed Jamshaid Mohammed that "a parcel or bomb liable to explode or ignite" was present at the airport, intending him to believe it, knowing it was untrue.

John Butterfield, prosecuting, said Wheeler had previous convictions for theft, public order offences, carrying a firearm and ammunition and possessing offensive weapons.

On February 8 last year Wheeler went to the airport and approached the check-in desk for a Lufthansa flight to Dusseldorf.

He told check-in clerk Mr Mohammed that there was a bomb at check-in desk 60.

Because his voice was muffled, Mr Mohammed asked him to repeat it, and twice more Wheeler said there was a bomb at check-in desk 60 and then briskly walked away.

Security staff were immediately alerted, as were the police, and Mr Mohammed and a colleague on the next desk who also heard the threat went with them to search for Wheeler.

Security staff checked for a bomb and found nothing suspicious. Others detained Wheeler and he was arrested by Special Branch officers.

Mr Butterfield said Wheeler also admitted charges of making off without paying taxi fares, one in December 2005 and then 12 days after being freed on bail after the bomb hoax.

Ian Speed, for Wheeler, said his problem was that he was schizophrenic and many of his offences were purely attention seeking.

"He knew it was his last chance and he blew it," he said.