Maltese in false bomb alert fined over threats and distress to train passenger

A Maltese national who was arrested over an alleged bomb threat he made on a train, has pleaded guilty to causing harassment, alarm or distress to the passenger who reported the alleged threat.

Daniel Gatt was arrested by armed officers on 26 January, 2012 when they responded to an alleged bomb threat on board the Southampton to Victoria, London train. Because of the alert, the train was stopped at Havant Station and was searched by explosives experts, but nothing was found.

Gatt was reported to the police by a teenager while he was making a phone-call to his father in Malta, in which the teenager claimed to have heard him make a bomb threat.

Southampton Magistrates' Court heard Elizabeth Hodgson, who was then 18, who said she thought she heard Daniel Gatt say he was "going to blow this train up in 10 minutes".

Gatt, 27, who denies ever saying he had a bomb, then subjected the teenager to a tirade of abuse after she reported it to the guard, according to Hodgson. She also said Gatt took a photograph of Hodgson and made aggressive threats while they were travelling on train.

Gatt, a yachtsman who had just passed his exams at the sailing academy in Cowes, Isle of Wight, was reported to have been out drinking when he made a phone-call to his father while on the train. Gatt has told the Maltese press he was using a common expression in Maltese 'bomba', when telling his father that he had aced his exams.

He also claims the teenager was laughing at the time of his arrest by armed officers.

Prosecutor Nick Hoyle, reading the victim's statement, said the teenager was petrified by what she believed she heard as Gatt chatted on his mobile phone. "I heard him say I'm going to blow this train up in 10 minutes. I heard another male saying 'I wouldn't talk like that'."

Hodgson said she heard Gatt say: "I may need help with this bomb as it's really heavy" and that she felt like crying, texting her mum saying: "What should I do?"'

After reporting it to the guard, Gatt approached Hodgson and started shouting, despite other passengers asking him to stop. At one point a man stood in the aisle to stop Gatt approaching the teenager. "I was so shocked and scared my voice started to tremble," she said. I remember him swearing, slurring his words, saying he would take me to court. He said something like 'I will annihilate her'."

Defence counsel Hannah Jones said Gatt deeply regretted his behaviour towards Hodgson, who lives in France.

Marian Lord, chairman of the magistrates' bench, said: "We can fully understand why it was terrifying for your victim. She was aged only 18. Sitting there minding her own business on public transport, nobody deserves to be treated like that."

Gatt was ordered to pay a GBP675 fine, GBP250 compensation, GBP350 in costs, and a GBP15 victim surcharge.

"That was an expensive day," added Lord.