Twitter airport bomb joke case 'a scandal'

Paul Chambers, who was found guilty of sending a menacing tweet threatening to blow up an airport, has won a challenge against his conviction.

Mr Chambers tweeted he would blow up Robin Hood Airport in South Yorkshire when it was closed after heavy snow.

After a hearing at the High Court in London his conviction was quashed.

Speaking outside court he said he had lost his job because of the tweet and was still unemployed.

John Cooper QC said the verdict was a "big decision" for Facebook and Twitter users and that it was "a scandal" that the public money had been spent on the case.

Comedian Al Murray added that it was a victory for freedom of speech.

In a statement following the verdict, the Crown Prosecution Service maintained that Mr Chamber's message "had the potential to cause real concern to members of the public".