Man jailed for hoax bomb scare on campus

A man who made a hoax call claiming that there was a bomb on campus earlier this academic year has been sentenced last week 28 March to eight months imprisonment at Coventry Crown Court.

On the third day of Freshers’ week, Wednesday 2 October 2013, at 2.27pm, 51-year-old Nigel David Lewis from Warwick left a voice message which claimed that an ‘explosive device’ had been left on university campus grounds.

The police were immediately informed and an evacuation of the campus was undertaken in search of the said bomb. No device however was found.

The evacuation led to an early closure of the societies fair and disruptions to Warwick Tennis trials.

Lewis pleaded guilty at a recent hearing to making a hoax call and communicating false information.

He was found guilty after the voice message was traced back to his telephone number, which was to be linked to the exact time and date of the hoax message.

Boban George, senior crown prosecutor from West Midlands Crown Prosecution Service, said:

“The actions of Nigel Lewis spread fear and panic among the 400 staff and students at the campus. His actions led to lessons being disrupted, conference rooms, halls of residence and other facilities being closed.

“When he was arrested, Lewis denied making the call, however, checks confirmed that the call was placed from his telephone at the time and date when the voice message was left.

“With such strong evidence, the defendant had no choice but to admit to his guilt and today he was jailed for eight months.”