Man admits Twitter airport hoax

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A man has been warned he could face jail after admitting posting a message on Twitter threatening to blow an airport "sky high".

Paul Chambers posted the message online after snow forced Robin Hood Airport in Doncaster, South Yorkshire, to close.

Doncaster magistrates told him that all sentencing options, including custody, were being considered after his arrest for communicating a bomb hoax.

Chambers, 26, of Byram Court in Balby, Doncaster, will be sentenced in March.

'No airport impact'

The defendant was arrested after his message was reported to police.

He was later charged with sending, by means of a public electronic communications network, a message that was grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character.

The court heard the message read: "Crap! Robin Hood Airport is closed. You've got a week... otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!"

Rob Desira, prosecuting, told the court: "He admitted posting the message into the public domain but never intended the message to be received by the airport or for them to take it seriously."

Mr Desira said the message was picked up by routine investigations but had no impact on the airport, other than the expense and time taken for the investigation to be carried out.

Chambers was granted unconditional bail until the sentencing hearing at Doncaster Magistrates' Court on 12 March.