Pleasure beach hoaxer jailed

A man who made a hoax 999 call claiming a nail bomb would be planted at Blackpool Pleasure Beach was jailed for two years today.

Gowthaman Jeyabalasingam, 23, of Icknield Drive, Ilford, east London, phoned the police from an all-night party at 7am on 18 July, claiming there would be an attack on the tourist attraction.

The Pleasure Beach was partially closed until investigators established the call was a hoax.

Jeyabalasingam was arrested on 31 July, charged with making a bomb hoax.

He pleaded guilty at Redbridge Magistrates' Court on 1 August and was sentenced at London's Snaresbrook Crown Court today.

The theme park in the Lancashire seaside town has six million visitors annually and holds more than 125 rides and attractions.