Bristol bomb hoaxer jailed for 40 months over pub evacuation

Casey will serve half of his sentence in prison before being released on licence for the remainder

A bomb hoaxer who caused the evacuation of a pub and the street outside has been sent to prison.

Michael Casey was jailed for 40 months after earlier admitting two counts of communicating false information.

The first offence, on 9 October, involved Casey, 40, calling police saying he had left suspicious items at the Three Lions pub in Bedminster, Bristol Crown Court heard.

He made a similar call on 3 November while on remand in prison.

Casey, of West Street, Bedminster, was jailed for 20 months for each offence, with the terms to run consecutively.

After the initial call customers at the pub, as well as nearby residents on West Street, were evacuated and police set up a cordon in the area.

During a search that went on for several hours, buses had to be re-routed as specialist officers searched the premises before nothing suspicious was found.

A cordon was put in place for several hours close to Three Lions pub in Bedminster

Speaking after the sentencing, Det Con Jordan Pearce said the hoax had had a "significant impact on people and businesses that day and caused a great deal of stress".

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"[Casey's] reckless and foolish actions resulted in a significant amount of police time and resources being diverted to this incident and he had no thought for other people who may have been in need of our help at the same time," he added.

Casey was also ordered to pay a £228 victim surcharge. He is expected to serve half his sentence in prison before being released on licence for the remainder.