Hove man sends bomb threat text (From The Argus)

Hove man sends bomb threat text

9:27am Saturday 13th December 2008 in

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A man who felt ripped off by a dating agency sent a text message threatening to blow up its offices with a bomb.

But Alexander Luckham, 45, made a mistake with the number and sent the frightening text to a stranger who called the police.

His mobile phone was traced and Luckham, who suffers from Asperger's syndrome, was arrested.

At Hove Crown Court he admitted communicating false information. He was given a three-year community order, during which time he will be supervised by the probation service.

The court heard Luckham, who lives in supported accommodation in Osmond Road, Hove, sent the text on May 4.

A woman he did not know received a text message stating: "I shall come round today and blow you up. This is no joke. I am by your premises right now with bombs and explosives."

He ended the message saying "Happy dying" and then left his name and a number of crosses.

The scared woman who received the message immediately contacted the police.

Mark Robinson, prosecuting, said when Luckham was arrested he told officers he believed he was sending the message to a dating agency, which he recently joined. He said the agency had been sending him text messages which were costing him money.

Judge Robin Barratt told him: "You have got to understand that you must not behave in this way. I want to punish you in a way that will help you not to commit offences like this again."