Two men who have admitted taking part in an airport bomb hoax facade, intending to post film footage of the 'prank' on You Tube, will be sentenced next Friday (November 24).
A judge at Newcastle Crown Court today (Friday November 17) told one of the defendants, Andre Antonio, it is, "highly likely" that he and co-accused Garard Ndela will be facing a prison sentence for the stunt, at the city's international airport, during the busy tourist season in July.
Antonio, 21, of Chestnut Avenue, Cowgate, Newcastle, and his 20-year-old accomplice, of Ellison Villas, Gateshead, were arrested by security staff and police while filming the scene in the airport's crowded terminal building.
Just prior to being detained, Ndela, who was also carrying a bag, was filming himself walking around the terminal stating: "I'm at the airport now with a bomb.
"I'm about to blow up the airport with my bomb."
Antonio, who had dropped off his co-accused at the airport, was seen talking to him a short time beforehand, and he, too, was filming the escapade.
He initially claimed he did not know what Ndela was about to do when he was asked to film his co-accused, but he dropped that assertion at a previous hearing.
Both defendants, in separate hearings, admitted the charge of relaying false information with intent, in that on July 3 this year they communicated to airport staff and users information that they knew to be false, to make them think a bomb was present.
A previous hearing was told the maximum sentence for such an offence is one of seven years' imprisonment.
That earlier hearing was also told that Ndela was said to have posted previous stunts, including one at Eldon Square shopping centre in Newcastle, onto his You Tube channel.
Both defendants were to have been sentenced at the court today (Nov 17), but Ndela was not present.
The court heard that he had not been told to attend as his solicitors' firm was said to have been unaware of the listed hearing.
Antonio was, however, present, awaiting sentence, represented by counsel Glenn Gatland.
Judge Sarah Mallett said: "I can't understand how one firm of solicitors would have been told (of the listing date) and the other not.
"The defendant should be here and there should be someone here with him."
Neil Jones, prosecuting, raised the issue of whether or not a bench warrant should be issued for the arrest of Ndela, but conceded he had turned up at all previous hearings in the case.
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Judge Mallett agreed that issuing a bench warrant may be unfair if the defendant had not been told of the hearing date by his solicitors, but she said that would be the course she would take if Ndela again does not appear at next week's re-listed sentencing hearing.
Extending bail to next Friday (November 24) for Antonio, Judge Mallett told him: "The fact I'm granting you bail today is not to be seen as an indication of what might happen in this case.
"It's highly likely it will be a prison sentence."
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