Courts / Dublin / Report

Caller who shut down motorway and Intel plant with bomb hoax gets community service

Date
2015-10-27

Stage
Sentence

Primary locality
Dublin

County
Dublin

Summary

Colin Hammond, 21, of Balbriggan, pleaded guilty in Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to making false bomb reports that caused a motorway closure, air‑traffic control disruption and the evacuation of 4,000 Intel employees. He had been drinking and taking tablets with a friend who paid him €30 to make the calls because he did not want to work at Intel the next day. Hammond claimed bombs were at Intel and would explode in 12 hours, and when asked who made the call he said "Islamic State." Judge Martin Nolan described him as "profoundly stupid" and sentenced him to 200 hours of community service within 12 months, instead of two years' imprisonment. The court noted that 300 employees were evacuated, 3,700 were prevented from entering the site, the M4 motorway was closed, and air‑traffic control was disrupted before authorities realised the hoax.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Caller who shut down motorway and Intel plant with bomb hoax gets community service. Charges or matters: making a false report giving rise to apprehension for the safety of persons or property at Bath Road on January 13, 2015. Procedural stage: sentence

When:

January 13, 2015 Hearing Or Sentence
2015-10-27 Publication

Why: Colin Hammond (21) had been drinking and taking tablets with a friend who paid him €30 to make the calls because he didn't want to go to work at Intel in Leixlip the following morning. CNI source report

Case subjects

Colin Hammond

Defendant

Charges: making a false report giving rise to apprehension for the safety of persons or property at Bath Road on January 13, 2015 (Admitted)

Plea: Guilty

Outcome: When asked who was making the call, he replied: "Islamic State." Today Judge Nolan ordered Hammond to complete 200 hours of community service within 12 months, in lieu of two years in jail.