Bomb scare Darlington man who threatened to kill police walks free after "nightmare" on remand

Darlington dad Jon Webb was held behind bars on remand after the drama in Northallerton, North Yorkshire, in September when part of the town was sealed off.

Webb's dad, Michael, a navy diver, told Teesside Crown Court that the 25-year-old was scared of the police and believed they followed him around the streets.

The serviceman was called to give evidence and told Mrs Justice Simler being in prison had been a nightmare for his son, and said: "He doesn't want to go back there."

Webb was given a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, with 12 months of probation supervision after the judge said she was taking "an exceptional course".

Mrs Justice Simler told him he had committed "extremely serious" offences but said she was "particularly impressed" by the remorse he had shown since.

She said: "It has had a particularly sobering effect, and you have realised the consequences of those ill-judged words . . . you were entirely wrong."

Webb, of Kielder Drive, Darlington, was said to have had a gripe with police after he was arrested for being drunk and disorderly and sprayed with CS gas.

He complained to North Yorkshire Police that he had been badly treated, and threatened to kill certain officers when he felt his complaints were not being treated seriously.

When police searched his home in Darlington, they found a shotgun cartridge, and believed his threats to harm officers were legitimate, the court heard.

Rod Hunt, mitigating, told the court that Webb lost his temper when he felt his complaint was being ignored, and "wanted them to listen to him".

He said: "The only way he believed he would be treated seriously was to make this threat . . . he didn't want the police to be alarmed. He wanted them to listen."

Webb, of Kielder Drive, Darlington, admitted a charge of making threats to kill at an earlier court hearing. All other charges against him were dropped.