Man with a personality disorder makes hoax bomb calls

By Charlotte Fantelli

Brian Davis, 49, from Lincoln made a string of hoax calls to the emergency services. He claimed that bombs were to be detonated in Lincoln.

Davis pleaded guilty before city magistrates to three charges of communicating false information about a bomb hoax.

The court was told that Davis suffers from a personality disorder and that he dialled 999 on December 5^th last year to tell the police call-taker that bombs were going to ‘go off’ in three separate locations in and around Lincoln.

Just minutes later he called 999 again and said that there had been a gas explosion in Coventry. Then on 30^th May this year he called Lincolnshire Fire and Rescue Services claiming a bomb at the Walkers Crisps factory was ‘going to explode and cause lots of casualties’.

Magistrates were told that none of the allegations were true or correct by Daniel Paulson, prosecuting.

Andy Kerrigan, defending, said that Brian Davis had a tendency to make hoax calls and that he was well known to police and call-takers in Lincoln.

Mr Kerrigan added: ‘These charges all relate to the same offence of making malicious phone calls, including hoax bomb calls, which is something he has done historically’.

‘In terms of the most recent offence he said that on the night of the call he had seen a male in his neighbour’s back garden who approached him in an aggressive manner. He went into a blind panic and cannot remember what happened, but he accepts he made the call.’

Medical reports which were read to the court showed that Davis suffers from a personality disorder and brain damage caused by carbon monoxide poisoning and a number of assaults.

‘He clearly creates some inconvenience at times by these hoax calls, but is not constanty causing difficulties in the community’ Mr Kerrigan said.

‘His mother is currently in hospital and very ill, which may have been a trigger for the recent offence. Though he has a degree of intellect and ability I question his ability to control his actions when he perceives he is under threat.’

Davis was bailed on the condition that he does not make false calls to emergency services. Barry Brock, chairman of the bench referred the case to Lincoln Crown Court for sentencing.

It is difficult to comment on how personality disorders may influence this sort of behaviour, however it is clear that most people with this type of disorder do not resort to criminal activity.

Personality disorders get very bad press at the best of times, and we hope that this isn't another case where the defendant's mental illness is seen as the reason for such behaviour, once again associating mental illness and crime. Adding to the discrimination of those with personality disorders who do not commit crime.