A MAN has been charged following three bomb hoaxes in Manchester City Centre.
It would appear that by the last of these reports, the Sunday 17 February hoax, the police knew the calls were fake.
James Anthony Black, aged 39, of no fixed abode has been charged with three offences of bomb hoax – communicating false information.
He is due to appear at Manchester Magistrates’ on Wednesday 20 February 2013.
The charges relate to three incidents in the city centre between Thursday 14 and Sunday 17 February 2013.
The first incident was a threat against Piccadilly train station, the second against ‘the arcade’ (Noble’s amusement arcade Piccadilly train station, and the third involved the Arndale Centre.
It would appear that by the last of these reports, the Sunday 17 February hoax, the police knew the calls were fake.
They say 'Police assessed this call to be one of a series of recently received hoax calls'.
Despite this assessment 'the security team at the Arndale took the decision to err on the side of caution and evacuate'. Curious.
