Security guard sparked bomb hoax at work

A DISGRUNTLED security officer caused the evacuation of hundreds of his workmates by making a false bomb threat.

Inverness Sheriff Court heard that Rodney Kenistoun, 47, of Castle Heather Drive, Inverness, admitted making the hoax call in September last year via a text message saying: “There is a small bomb in a trailer” after suspicion fell on his former girlfriend who also worked at one of LifeScan’s two facilities in Inverness.

Kenistoun, the court heard, was unhappy at the firm, which is part of the Johnson & Johnson group.

Eilidh Macdonald, defending, said he had been bullied, resulting in him suffering from stress and anxiety. When a colleague, with whom he had a brief relationship, lost her job, he made the false threat.

“But while he was being interviewed by police as a witness when suspicion fell on her, he immediately told police it was him,” she said.

Sheriff Margaret Neilson ordered Kenistoun to carry out a 160-hour community service order, and told him: “This is clearly a serious charge.”