An ex-serviceman carried out a bomb hoax at a Scots shopping centre because he had a “genuine fear for his life”, a court heard.
Robert Kirk sparked the evacuation of Edinburgh’s Cameron Toll Shopping Centre by phoning cops and telling them he’d planted a nail bomb.
The 27-year-old escaped a jail term after appearing at the city’s sheriff court on Tuesday for sentencing.
The court was told Kirk carried out the terrifying hoax as he wanted the “area cleared” and to be taken into police custody.
Kirk’s reason for fearing for his safety wasn’t publicly disclosed in court.
Sheriff Alistair Noble was previously handed a police intelligence report to read on that matter, but its contents remain mysterious.
The sheriff ordered Kirk to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work and placed him on a 12-month supervision order.
Sheriff Noble told him: “Your position appears to be that you did what you did out of a genuine fear for your life.”
The sheriff said Kirk had “wanted the area to be cleared” and to be “arrested by the police”.
Kirk, who formerly served in the armed forces, told police he’d planted a bomb in the centre and warned it would detonate in 30 minutes.
Kirk, who had worked out in the centre’s gym earlier that day, told the 999 operator he’d purchased parts for the explosive using “cryptocurrency on the dark web”.
Police evacuated parts of the centre and inspected the bag that Kirk left outside the Sainsbury’s store.
But they discovered it contained only gym equipment and arrested Kirk who had remained on scene.
At Tuesday’s hearing, defence agent Charles Morrison said his client, a first offender in full-time employment, had “made a new life for himself in Wales” following the incident.
Mr Morrison said the bomb hoax was borne out of Kirk’s “fear for his own safety”.
The solicitor added: “He appreciates it was a foolish thing to do. He should’ve explained himself to the call handler rather than make up this story.”
Mr Morrison said Kirk accepted his actions caused “alarm, upset and distress” to staff and shoppers, and “appreciates this is a very serious matter”.
Sheriff Noble said there was “plainly alarm and disturbance” caused in the community, but added the bomb squad hadn’t been requested to attend.
The court heard Kirk hadn’t been suffering from any mental illness at the time of the incident.
Last month he pled guilty to a charge of conducting himself in a disorderly manner by telling emergency services he’d planted a bomb and causing the centre’s evacuation on April 10 last year.
Fiscal depute Connor Muir told that hearing how Kirk had worked out at a gym in the centre with a pal.
Afterwards the friend found Kirk to be “slightly agitated” when they made to leave at 4.15pm.
The court heard how Kirk remained at the centre and called 999 at 7.30pm to report the bomb threat, telling the operator the homemade device was in a bag on a bench opposite Sainsbury’s.
Police arrived and officers found Kirk who told them he was “intent on destruction” and there was a nail bomb in the bag.
The bag was checked and Kirk, of Caerphilly, Wales, was arrested.
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