A man accused of sparking a major emergency when he placed a metal cylinder at the gates of an army reserve centre has denied creating a bomb hoax.

Jake Freeman was caught on CCTV walking towards the security gates at the Darlington facility before bending down, placing an object on the cross brace of the gate, and walking away.

Teesside Crown Court heard how the 24-year-old was spotted by a member of staff who alerted a Staff Sergeant before a bomb disposal team was called to assess the situation.

Jurors watched CCTV footage from inside Darlington police station when the defendant shouted 'I'm the f****** bomb hoaxer'.

The Northern Echo: Emergency services on Neasham Road, Darlington, on Tuesday, October 24.Emergency services on Neasham Road, Darlington, on Tuesday, October 24. (Image: Picture: THE NORTHERN ECHO)

Joe Culley, prosecuting, said there is no dispute about who was caught on the CCTV or that the defendant placed the cylinder on the gate but there is dispute about his intention at the time.

He said: "Was it his intention to create a bomb hoax or was it for some other intention."

The court heard how Freeman went to Darlington Police Station after seeing an appeal for witnesses on Facebook.

The jury was shown CCTV footage from inside the station where Freeman appeared to be into an agitated state and being confrontational with officers.

The footage captured Freeman refusing to confirm his name or date of birth while demanding that the officer calls his solicitor.

Freeman can be heard shouting - "This is the second time you have wrongfully arrested me in 24 hours - I'm p***** off. This is wrongful arrest."

The officers were heard trying to explain to him at they can't call a solicitor until he has been booked into the police system.

Freeman reacted angrily when officers told him they needed to search him and he could be heard shouting 'I'm the f****** bomb hoaxer.

"I hope your f****** houses blow up. You stupid ****.”

When asked to calm down he started shouting - "Calm down. You have me in f****** handcuffs."

As the officers started to book him in on suspicion of a bomb hoax, he shouted - "Bang, there you go.

"I put a bomb at the army. Bang. Remember, remember the fifth of November when Guy Fawkes blew up Parliament."

Colin Ridley, who is the secretary of the Darlington Reserve Army centre, told jurors that he was suspicious of Freeman’s activities when he watched him approach the gates on CCTV.

The court heard how he alerted the Staff Sergeant and they went out to inspect the situation.

When asked what happened next, Mr Ridley said: "Without getting too close, I got close enough to see a metallic cylinder inside the gate."

Mr Culley asked: "Could you see what the cylinder was?" Mr Ridley replied: "It was a metallic cylinder and was red coloured.

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"It was thickness of a toilet roll and about the size of a smart phone."

Under cross-examination from defence counsel, Dr Christopher Wood, the witness accepted that the defendant had not shouted anything but merely walked towards the gates before leaving the metallic cylinder there.

Freeman, of Walworth Crescent, Darlington, has been charged with placing an article with intent to cause a bomb hoax.

The trial continues.