A man who sent sexually explicit emails and bomb threats to his local MP and two schools in St Albans was given a hospital order yesterday (Friday, April 30).
The man, aged 40 who has paranoid schizophrenia, is to be detained indefinitely under the Mental Health Act.
Prosecutor Jane Davies told St Albans crown court that in September 2019 the man sent emails to Ann Main, the St Albans Conservative MP from 2005 to 2019, Mandeville Primary School and Marlborough School in the city.
She said: “They included bomb alerts, sexually explicit content and references to drugs. The offensive references caused the recipients distress.”
Hertfordshire police were contacted and the man, who had used his own email address, was traced to his home in Martins Court in St Albans. At his home, the police found multiple drugs – crystal meth, ecstasy and cannabis.
He was unfit to plead to four charges of sending grossly offensive communications, two of possessing Class A drugs and one of possessing Class B drugs. A jury found that he had carried out the acts in the charges. He was of previous good character.
He has also been charged with sending similar emails to the magistrate and crown courts. The CPS is to review those charges following the April 30 sentencing hearing.
Psychiatrist Dr Michael Shortt told Judge Philip Grey: “He would benefit from being under a hospital order. He has delusions and poor insight. I think he would pose a risk to others and is liable to send such communications again.”
Defending, Jonas Milner said the man had been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia since 2012. He said: “He is frightened and scared of what might happen. He has an incredibly heart-breaking history. He is a vulnerable person who is confused and scared.
The judge said the emails were “incoherent and not the product of a well mind.
“They caused considerable distress and alarm. It is completely unsurprising that Ms Main, her family and those at the schools were so alarmed in what they read.”
The judge made a Hospital Order to detain the man at a specialist ward.
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