A 31-year-old man who made a hoax call to the police claiming there were bombs in two Inverness city centre properties was traced because officers had his mobile phone number.
Jamie Burns, of 45 Church Street, admitting phoning 999 and telling the operator that there were bombs in neighbouring buildings at 40 and 42 Church Street and they were about to explode.
However fiscal depute Stewart MacIver told Inverness Sheriff Court yesterday that police had Burns’ mobile phone number on file “as a result of other matters” and were able to trace him quickly.
“At first he maintained his innocence, but later said it was a drunken mistake and stupid.”
Defence solicitor Rory Gowans said his client “had a number of vulnerabilities and an intensive care package was in place for him.
“He recognises the seriousness of the offence.”
Sheriff David Sutherland told Burns that despite his problems, he could have faced a lengthy jail sentence.
However, as an alternative, he imposed 200 hours of unpaid community work, placed Burns under supervision for three years and ordered him not to consume alcohol during that period.
He also placed a restriction of liberty order on him between the hours of 7pm and 7am.