A 22-year-old American man has been sentenced to a year in prison for orchestrating a persistent and alarming bomb hoax campaign that targeted numerous venues across the United Kingdom, with a significant focus on London.
A Sustained Campaign of Terror
David Hart, from West Winfield in New York, carried out his spree of threats over less than a month, from late October to mid-November 2023. In total, he made 95 bogus phone calls to UK numbers, with 66 of those directed to London. His targets were wide-ranging and included restaurants, supermarkets, bars, police force control rooms, and even the historic Westminster Abbey.
Hart's modus operandi was particularly distressing. He would often call the same victims multiple times, with calls sometimes lasting nearly thirty minutes. In these calls, he falsely claimed to have planted explosive devices at the locations, providing graphic details and imminent deadlines for detonation.
Hospitals Forced into Lockdown
The impact of his actions was severe, especially for healthcare services. In one harrowing call to a major London hospital, Hart stated: 'I've put a bomb in your corridor bathroom. You have exactly 12 seconds to get out of that building.' Another hospital was compelled to initiate a full lockdown while security teams conducted urgent searches for non-existent devices.
Among the specific institutions targeted was Guy's and St Thomas' Hospital in London. The court heard that Hart even described a supposed homemade bomb filled with nails that he claimed was in a hotel basement. While some recipients were sceptical, all took the threats seriously, following stringent security protocols to ensure public safety.
International Investigation Leads to Sentence
The hoaxes triggered a major joint investigation between detectives from London's Metropolitan Police and their counterparts in the US Department of Homeland Security. This collaboration led to Hart's prosecution by US authorities.
On Tuesday, January 6, Hart appeared at the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. The court was satisfied that he fully intended his calls to be received as genuine threats. As a result, he was sentenced to one year in prison for his crimes.
This case highlights the serious consequences of making malicious hoax threats, which waste critical emergency service resources and cause widespread fear and disruption. The successful cross-border prosecution demonstrates the ongoing international cooperation in tackling cybercrime and threats to public security.
