Rotherham hoax bus bomber jailed again for terror breach

Sheffield Crown Court heard Nicholas Roddis was jailed in 2008 for leaving a hoax bomb on a bus

A convicted terrorist jailed for leaving a hoax bomb on a bus has been sent to prison again for breaching his terrorist notification requirements.

Nicholas Roddis, 38, was jailed for seven years in 2008 after leaving a device on a bus in Rotherham.

At Sheffield Crown Court on Friday, he was jailed for four years for not telling counter-terror police about four contact numbers and a bank card.

He was also jailed for possessing ammunition and stalking.

The court was told that Roddis was arrested in July 2022 for a total of five breaches of his terrorist notification requirements, which are designed to monitor convicted terrorists and protect the public when they are released from jail.

Meanwhile, in October 2022, Roddis had pleaded guilty to two separate offences of possessing ammunition, following a parallel investigation by South Yorkshire Police. He was also found guilty of a stalking offence.

The separate prosecutions were brought together for him to be sentenced on Friday.

The court heard that on 22 June 2021, blank ammunition was found in a wardrobe when police searched Roddis' address in Rotherham.

He had told police he liked "military memorabilia" and he attributed his interest in the bullets to his autism, the sentencing heard.

Further ammunition was found at his address the following year after he was arrested on suspicion of stalking.

'Knew the risks'

The court heard that between October 2021 and May 2022, Roddis had regularly visited a shop in Rotherham to "stare in a somewhat menacing fashion" at a 17-year-old female employee and to follow her around the aisles.

Previously, in 2008, Roddis had been jailed for seven years after boarding the Maltby to Rotherham bus service and leaving a hoax bomb, consisting of a bag of sugar, an alarm clock and wires, in a plastic bag on the vehicle.

Roddis had worn a false beard, moustache and glasses when boarding the vehicle.

After passengers noticed the package, the bus and neighbouring houses were evacuated and an Army bomb disposal team blew it up.

He had also committed firearms offences in 2016, 2019 and 2020, the hearing at Sheffield Crown Court heard.

Following the sentencing, Det Ch Supt Jim Dunkerley, head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said: "Those subject to notification requirements are stringently monitored and breaches of any kind are taken very seriously.

"Roddis knew the risks of failing to adhere to his notification requirements - despite this, he believed he could withhold information from our officers."