Man jailed for bomb hoax call ahead of Pope's visit

A FORMER RAF aircraft fitter tried to disrupt the Pope's visit to Scotland because he was angry about how much it was costing the taxpayer, a court heard.

Kenneth Ross called Lothian and Borders Police claiming there was a bomb at Edinburgh Airport. But he did not withhold his mobile number and police rapidly traced the hoax 999 call to the City Link parcels depot where he worked.

He made the call at 6am just hours before the pontiff was due to land, Livingston Sheriff Court heard yesterday.

The threat was taken seriously and security was tightened until it was established that the message was a malicious prank.

Despite throwing his office mobile phone over a fence before police arrived, Ross was arrested at his office in Livingston, within half an hour.

His suspicious behaviour, reported by a workmate, was caught on CCTV. Ross, 53, from Blackridge, West Lothian, earlier pled guilty to committing a breach of the peace by making the hoax call on 16 September last year.

Sheriff Douglas Kinloch jailed him for 162 days - about five and a half months.

He told the accused: "Despite the fact that you're 53 years old and almost a first offender I've come to the conclusion that no other sentence other than imprisonment can be imposed."