Guilty plea from man who made false bomb threat

A Douglas man will be sentenced next month after telling police he had a bomb in his bedroom.

49-year-old Thomas Paul Groom, of Fairfield Terrace, admitted making the hoax alert during an appearance at Douglas Courthouse on Tuesday. 

Police were called to his home just after 8pm on January 12th after Groom threatened to kill himself - he told the 999 operator he was also planning to 'take someone else out with him'. 

When officers arrived they found Groom locked in his bedroom - after negotiating with him to open the door he told them he had a bomb and would 'take the building to the ground'. 

Officers forced entry and found Groom on his bed - nothing of interest was located in his room. 

Groom's advocate told the court he didn't believe the police had 'genuine fear' that there was an explosive adding: "I think this was a cry for help." 

A Social Enquiry Report will be completed before Groom is sentenced on February 19th - there was no application for bail and he was remanded at the Isle of Man Prison.