A TOP police officer has labelled the Elgar statue bomb hoax an "extremely irresponsible act", which diverted valuable force resources.
Retired schoolteacher Pietro Rooke was jailed on Friday for nine months after leaving a fake bomb at the foot of the Elgar Statue on Worcester High Street on Tuesday, November 9.
The hoax cost £28,000 for the manpower and effort of the emergency services, and the loss of revenue to businesses.
"Setting aside the current security climate, this was an extremely irresponsible act, which diverted crucial officer resources away from other important policing matters," said acting Supt Martin Lakeman, of South Worcestershire Police.
Good character
He added that the maximum sentence could have been seven years, but Rooke's previous good character had been taken into account by Judge Michael Mott.
"A custodial sentence recognises the significant disruption that was caused to both the private and business communities within Worcester by this man's actions. The negative effect on some small business may even have even been critical," continued Supt Lakeman.
Rooke, aged 56, of East Comer , St John's, had taped a message to the red carrier bag, which read: ''Withdraw your troops from Iraq''.
A 200-metre cordon was set up, and businesses and the cathedral were evacuated before an Army bomb disposal unit carried out a controlled explosion on the item.
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