Man who threatened to blow up Peterborough's Bayard Place through text to social worker is jailed

Leo Holmes responded to a message asking why he was not present at a meeting by saying he was going to blow up Bayard Place which prompted an armed police response in London Road on December 22 .

The 20-year-old, who was serving a suspended sentence for making explosives and carrying a bladed article at the time of the offence, was sentenced to a year in jail at Peterborough Crown Court last Friday.

Lawrence Bruce, prosecuting, said the social worker, on receiving the threatening text, “contacted Bayard Place security then contacted 999. She said ‘I did this because I believe Holmes is high risk, he is extremely unpredictable and anything is likely to happen’.”

Charles Falk, defending, said Holmes’ learning difficult and other recognised conditions were behind his actions. He added: “This was an idle threat during a period of intense anxiety made on the spur of the moment with no intention to carry out.”

He added that Holmes’ social worker was reluctant to report him to the police.

Recorder Christopher Quinlan said: “This is a pattern of a young man who gets frustrated by his circumstances and takes out those frustrations on the people put in place to help.”

Holmes, of London Road, who has has previous convictions for battery and racially-aggravated harassment, received 36 weeks in prison for sending communications conveying a threat and 20 weeks for breaching his suspended sentence.

He had previously pleaded guilty to the offence at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court.

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