A MAN made a bomb threat to a cathedral — to drum up trade at a kebab shop.
Anthony Moroncini, 52, thought a flood of people from the evacuated congregation may improve his chances of further work at the takeaway.
He gave his own name to the call handler and was seen on CCTV leaving a phone box near Truro Cathedral in Cornwall.
Armed police, dog units, bomb disposal teams and other 999 services were scrambled to the scene.
Holly Rust, defending homeless Moroncini, told the city’s crown court: “The idea was to increase footfall — he was out of control.”
Moroncini admitted a catalogue of offending over a ten-day period in September, including the bomb hoax, five criminal damage charges, burglary, three thefts, two assaults and threatening behaviour.
The burglary was at a local multi-occupancy house where he stole food because he was “extremely hungry”. He fell asleep there and was found the next day.
Moroncini, who claimed he worked as an optical illusionist, has committed 93 offences since 1994, mostly for dishonesty and violence.
Jailing him for 16 months, Judge Simon Carr said: “Any bomb hoax is a serious offence and the effect it has on the emergency services and the public.”
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