Cambridgeshire man accused of Downing Street bomb hoax denies offence

He allegedly told police outside the gates to 10 Downing Street that he had a bomb in his rucksack

A man charged over an alleged bomb hoax outside the gates to 10 Downing Street has denied the offence in court.

Stephen Abbott, 59, allegedly told police he carried a bomb in his rucksack while he stood in Whitehall outside the gates to No 10 on October 15 last year, a court has heard.

Abbott pleaded not guilty at Westminster Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday to a single charge of communicating to police information which he knew or believed to be false, with the intention of inducing in that person or any other person a false belief.

Prosecutor Rizwan Amin told the hearing: “The agreed facts are that Mr Abbott attended the gates at Downing Street, shouting, protesting. In short, he was alleged to make comments about Tony Blair and subsequently claimed to have a bomb in his rucksack.”

Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring told the hearing the case was “clearly not suitable for summary trial”. “It should go to the Bailey given its profile,” he added.

Abbott, of Huntingdon, Cambridgeshire, is to appear at the Old Bailey on June 16. He was granted bail on condition that he does not go within 100 metres of Downing Street.