Seaham pub security officer sparked hoax bomb scare

Stephen Oliphant later told police he wanted to be considered “a hero” for reporting finding the suspicious device and helping in the resulting clearance of 100 customers from the Hat and Feathers, a Wetherspoon pub in Seaham, on a busy Friday night.

But his misguided “hero” attempt, which led to an Army bomb disposal unit being summoned and the pub remaining closed for almost 24 hours, has cost Oliphant his liberty.

The defendant, who turns 26 today (Tuesday May 16), received a 12-month prison sentence, after a judge at Durham Crown Court told him he wanted to send the message to anyone considering committing such a reckless act in future.

Read more: Bomb scare at Seaham pub was 'a hoax'

Oliphant, of Stanley Street, Houghton-le-Spring, admitted the bomb hoax charge at a hearing before magistrates, last month.

The case was sent for sentence at the crown court.

Claire Anderson, prosecuting, said Oliphant was a member of the security staff at the Hat and Feathers, in Church Street, and, while on shift on the evening of Friday, November 19, 2021, he went into the gents’ toilets and left the device behind a toilet in a cubicle.

He then spoke to his manager to report finding the “suspicious item”, supposedly while checking the toilets.

The manager went into the toilets and found a white box with wire coming out and a mobile phone attached to the front.

Miss Anderson said the protocol was followed and the police and emergency services were notified, while the pub was evacuated, not reopening until 6pm the following day.

A bomb disposal unit summoned to the premises confirmed it was a hoax device.

But, on examination of the package, the defendant’s finger prints were found on tape and he was arrested.

Oliphant claimed to have found the package which he said he picked up to examine, took a photo of it and put it back down.

Miss Anderson said when his home was searched, “numerous components” were found indicative of the device having been manufactured by the defendant.

He tried to pass that off as “a coincidence”, but when he was confronted about his DNA being discovered on it, he made “no comment”.

Read more: Sunderland incident: Everything we know as building evacuated following bomb threat

The defendant then said it had been “a joke”, before revealing he had taken it to the pub so he would, “look like a hero”, but he had not intended to put people in fear.

He also denied being part of any extremist organisation.

Miss Anderson said apart from the £7,000 loss in takings there was a detrimental impact on staff members, some of whom were left distressed, uncertain over what may happen.

She added that although the defendant has past offences on his record, they were committed as a juvenile and were, "of a dissimilar nature”.

Peter Sabiston, in mitigation, said the defendant intended, "no malice towards any individual”, in committing the offence.

“In this case he’s manufactured the device himself, which I accept is an aggravating feature.

“He’s demonstrated in his pre-sentence (probation) report that he’s come to terms with what he has done.

“He’s a man who is immature, even though he is now 25,”

Mr Sabiston said the defendant was subject to bullying as a child and was later unable to fulfil his wish to join the Army, leading to him suffering with depression and being prescribed medication.

He said the defendant did not take the medication he was advised to use and he is now seeking psychological counselling to deal with his low self-esteem and depression.

Mr Sabiston said it seems that in committing the offence, defendant was, “seeking approval of others to make himself out to be a hero, without regard of how it would effect other people and his employers financially."

He went on: “I accept that there was an initial reluctance to accept responsibility and even his parents have struggled to come to terms with why he has done this, as he has.”

But Mr Sabiston said it could prove to be, “a watershed” in the defendant's life and he would benefit from counselling and medication, under the supervision of the Probation Service.

“This low self-esteem and depression might have been an underlying reason for his actions in seeking to be a hero.

“It’s now 18 months since the offence and he has shown a degree of insight into his offending.”

Judge James Adkin told Oliphant: “For reasons which remain somewhat opaque, you placed an item with the superficial appearance of being a bomb.

“There were about 100 members of the public there who needed to be ushered from the premises and, no doubt, you were still there as the bomb disposal unit attended.

“It transpired it was a device you cobbled together from a mobile phone and other items in your bedroom.”

Read next:

* Office evacuated after bomb threat in Spennymoor

* York College Incident: Man, 21, in custody after bomb scare

* Hoax bomb stuffed with wires and sinister messages left in Darlington churchyard

Subscribe to a Premium Plus package to The Northern Echo from as little as £1.50 per week and read more quality stories and extras. Click here

Judge Adkin said apart from the loss of takings to the pub, there was a £1,523 expense caused to the police, and all because of the defendant’s “low self-esteem.”

He said because of the nature of the offence, with the anxiety and distress caused, on top of the economic loss to the police and pub, the 12-month prison sentence he was imposing had to be an immediate one.

“There has to be a deterrent to dissuade members of the public from such actions,” added Judge Adkin.