A HAMPSHIRE man has been jailed after sending a text message containing a false bomb threat at an international football match.

Joshua Thomas Udall, 34, of Tanner Street in Aldershot, pleaded guilty at Winchester Crown Court to a bomb hoax offence – communicating false information.

On Monday, June 27, 2021, Udall sent a text message to 999 containing a bomb threat around the Netherlands v Czech Republic football match in Budapest.

The message, which was routed to BT in Nottinghamshire before being identified as coming from Aldershot, said there were five suicide bombers at the match and eight remote-controlled explosive devices. 

It demanded money be sent to be sent or they would be detonated.

Officers were able to establish that the number was connected to an address on Tanner Street, Aldershot, using cell site data.

The number was traced back to a Nokia 105 handset, which was recovered from Udall’s address during a warrant on 29 June 2021, and he was charged with the offence on the same day. 

Udall appeared at Winchester Crown Court on Thursday, September 21, where he was jailed for 12 months.