Airport bomb hoaxer jailed

A man has been jailed for more than a year after he carried out a bomb hoax at London Luton Airport.

Vasilica Stanescu, 28, of Dirkhill Road, Bradford, admitted making fake claims that he was going to detonate an explosive device at the airport on Wednesday 7 October.

Stanescu had phoned emergency services and reported he had a bomb inside him. Police immediately attended and discovered Stanescu at a parking area near the terminal building.

He was arrested and later charged with making a bomb hoax, assaulting a police officer and criminal damage.

At Luton Crown Court on Friday he was sentenced to a total of 13 months in prison.

Sergeant Giles Hutchinson from Bedfordshire’s airport policing unit said: “Stanescu made a hoax call stating he was going to detonate a bomb at a busy airport – which is no joke. We take all threats to harm extremely seriously and would always act to protect the public.

“Had he been telling the truth, this claim would have posed a major risk to life.

“I am pleased Stanescu has been appropriately dealt with by the courts. I hope this serves as a deterrent to anyone tempted to make hoax or prank calls to police and other emergency services.”