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| Castle Mall hoax bomb threat teen sentenced | |
| (36 minutes later) | |
| A teenager who made a hoax 999 call claiming a bomb was going to explode in a shopping centre so his brother could leave work at Burger King early has been convicted. | |
| Luke Brown, 18, of Arnold Miller Road, Norwich, called 999 to say a bomb would go off at the city's Castle Mall. | Luke Brown, 18, of Arnold Miller Road, Norwich, called 999 to say a bomb would go off at the city's Castle Mall. |
| He was sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institution at Norwich Crown Court on Friday. | He was sentenced to six months in a young offenders' institution at Norwich Crown Court on Friday. |
| Police have released a recording of the 14 minute bogus call. | Police have released a recording of the 14 minute bogus call. |
| Brown called 999 on 6 March and said he had received a letter nearly three hours previously which said a bomb would go off in the food court later that day. | Brown called 999 on 6 March and said he had received a letter nearly three hours previously which said a bomb would go off in the food court later that day. |
| He said he had "burnt" the letter when asked if he still had it. | He said he had "burnt" the letter when asked if he still had it. |
| Nine police officers including a dog handler and a crime scene investigator were deployed by Norfolk police. | Nine police officers including a dog handler and a crime scene investigator were deployed by Norfolk police. |
| During the call, Brown was questioned by the call handler several times but refused to say who he was or give any more details. | During the call, Brown was questioned by the call handler several times but refused to say who he was or give any more details. |
| The call was traced to a phone box on Long John Hill, where Brown was found still on the line to police. | The call was traced to a phone box on Long John Hill, where Brown was found still on the line to police. |
| Superintendent Neil Baily said the waste of resources would have run into a four-figure sum. | Superintendent Neil Baily said the waste of resources would have run into a four-figure sum. |
| He said : "It's astonishing to think of the stupidity of someone who would make a hoax call about a bomb in a busy shopping centre just to get his brother off work early. | He said : "It's astonishing to think of the stupidity of someone who would make a hoax call about a bomb in a busy shopping centre just to get his brother off work early. |
| "The custodial sentence underlines the seriousness of deliberately wasting police time and taking resources away from legitimate demands." | "The custodial sentence underlines the seriousness of deliberately wasting police time and taking resources away from legitimate demands." |
| Brown, who earlier admitted communicating false information about a bomb hoax, was also ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge. | Brown, who earlier admitted communicating false information about a bomb hoax, was also ordered to pay an £80 victim surcharge. |