The bomb squad were scrambled and carried out a controlled explosion after a teenager launched a terrifying hoax which left police fearing they'd be killed. Officers received a call reporting there was a man with a gun placing a bag with wires coming out of it under a bus stop in Rochdale town centre.
Police raced to the scene and when they came across a bag matching that description, at about 3am on April 21, they called in the bomb squad. As police waited for the Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit to arrive, one officer was sat in his car when a masked man knocked on his window.
The man was Husnain Masood, then 17, the same person who had called police originally. Masood, wearing all black and a balaclava, was armed with a knife.
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He began chasing a police officer who had shouted out to warn his colleague. Masood threatened to shoot the officer, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said.
He saw what looked like the butt of a gun in Masood's hand, and wires could be seen coming from his clothing. Other officers came to his aid, and Masood was stopped after being Tasered and sprayed with incapacitant spray.
A controlled explosion of the device was carried out, and it was found to be non-viable. Police searched Masood and discovered a note which read: "This is a suicide attempt, not an act of terror."
When questioned about the incident, Masood, now 18, said he had no intention of harming anyone. He said he believed that if police believed it was a credible threat, armed officers would shoot him.
Rather than carrying a gun he had actually been holding a black candle lighter, which he hoped police would believe was a firearm. Recalling the incident in a statement read at court, one officer said: "This incident scared me, I was put in genuine fear of serious harm and death from this man. I was also put in fear, as I felt that I couldn't help my co-workers and friends."
Masood, of Mere Street, Rochdale, pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of a bladed article, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and a bomb hoax offence.
At Minshull Street Crown Court, he was sentenced to 14 months in prison. After the hearing, Joanna Crook, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said: "Masood’s actions caused a great deal of fear, not to mention the expense and time of the police and bomb disposal experts who could have put that time to better use.
"Masood admitted his actions when spoken to by the police and apologised for what he had done. The police officers who dealt with incident showed great bravery in the face of a very serious incident."
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