AN NHS trust declared a major incident after a bomb hoaxer phoned in to tell them he had planted explosive devices in emergency vehicles set to go off randomly, Truro magistrates have been told.

Rodney Peaseley, 66, also phoned Richard Lander School where pupils were about to get Covid vaccinations to tell them a bomb had been planted inside the building causing it to be evacuated.

Peasley, who gave his address as Radnor Golf & Leisure, Radnor Road, Scorrier, Redruth pleaded guilty to two charges of malicious communication involving the bomb threats on November 19 and four charges of criminal damage to a marquee attached to Mount Hawke medical centre on November 9 which was being used as a vaccination centre.

Chris Rendall for the CPS told magistrates that on November 19 at around 8am Peaseley called the police and told them that there was a bomb in Richard Lander School and that police had ten minutes, before ringing off. The police then immediately received a call from Richard Lander School saying it had received a call from a man saying a bomb was in the school.

The police then received similar calls from Cornwall Live and Kernow Health at Treliske who had received a call telling them that explosive devices had been planted in service vehicles which would detonate randomly within the next hour.

"This caused considerable disruption to the emergency services in Cornwall," said Mr Rendall. "There are no sentencing guidelines specifically for this, although research would appear to indicate that a rough benchmark would mean two years in custody for this sort of offence.

"Statements from both members of staff from the Cornwall Foundation Trust and also the teacher at Richard Lander School explaining both the distress and the considerable disruption caused. I would invite you to send this case to Crown Court for sentence. I should add this led to a major incident being called by the Cornwall Foundation Trust.

Peasley's defence solicitor told magistrates that his client had an "unblemished" character and that he had quite a story to tell, but that would have to wait for the crown court.

Magistrates felt that their sentencing powers were not enough because of the seriousness of the charges and sent the case to crown court for next year.

He was granted bail with the conditions that he not approach any educational facility directly or indirectly, not to enter the grounds of any medical facility unless needed.