Jury undecided on hoax bomb message (From Andover Advertiser)
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Jury undecided on hoax bomb message
3:26pm Thursday 24th January 2013 in National News © Press Association 2013
Sakander Mahmood, 26,had admitted at Sheffield Crown Court to sending a message to the EDL reading: '14th July in Bristol, You are getting bombed'
A jury has failed to reach a verdict in the case of a taxi driver who sent a message to the English Defence League (EDL) saying one of its marches was going to be bombed.
Father-of-five Sakander Mahmood, 26, admitted sending the right-wing group a hoax message through its website which said: "14th July in Bristol, You are getting bombed".
But he told Sheffield Crown Court he never meant it to be taken seriously.
Mahmood said he wanted to "to get under their skin a bit" but thought the EDL would ignore his message.
When arrested, he told police he sent the message on July 10 last year "just for a laugh".
Mahmood, of Firth Park, Sheffield, denied a charge of communicating a hoax bomb threat with intent.
After deliberating for five hours following a two-day trial, a jury of seven women and five men told the judge, Recorder Andrew Dallas, that they could not agree on a verdict.
Recorder Dallas discharged the jury.
He ordered prosecutors to decide within seven days whether Mahmood should face a retrial.
Mahmood was given unconditional bail.
