Stansted: Man Jailed For Bomb Hoax

A man has been jailed for three years for a bomb hoax on a plane which meant it had to be diverted to Stansted airport.

49 year old Alan Patey pleaded guilty to making the threats on the flight from Sri Lanka to Heathrow on September 20th last year.

Essex Police officers arrested Patey and a 57-year-old man who was later released without charge.

The other passengers had to travel onwards to Heathrow by coach.

A statement from CPS East of England Senior District Crown Prosecutor Punam Malhan says:
 
"Patey told a member of the crew that there was a device on board the aircraft. Fortunately this was proved not to be the case but airlines have to take all such threats seriously.
 
"Those who make this kind of threat on a plane in flight, whether they are genuine or not, can expect to face the consequences..
 
"People have a right to feel safe on board and to arrive at their destination without alarms of this nature and Patey's threat was overheard by some of the passengers, who must have been very frightened by his words.
 
"This was an aircraft with 265 people on board and given the threat was made in person while in flight, we felt the public interest required a prosecution."