Man denies Downing Street bomb hoax charge

A man accused of telling police he was carrying a bomb outside Downing Street has denied the offence in court.

Stephen Abbott, 59, from Huntingdon in Cambridgeshire, allegedly made the claim while standing in Whitehall by the gates to No 10 on 15 October last year.

He appeared at Westminster Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded not guilty to a single charge of communicating false information to police with the intention of inducing a false belief.

Prosecutor Rizwan Amin told the court the "agreed facts" were that Abbott had attended the gates at Downing Street, shouting and protesting.

"In short, he was alleged to make comments about Tony Blair and subsequently claimed to have a bomb in his rucksack," Amin said.

Senior District Judge Paul Goldspring told the hearing the case was "clearly not suitable for summary trial".

"It should go to the Bailey given its profile," he added.

Mr Abbott is due to appear at the Old Bailey on 16 June.

He was granted bail on the condition that he does not go within 100m of Downing Street.

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