Man Jailed for Sending Fake Parcel Bomb to Cornwall Address
A man from St Dogmaels, Pembrokeshire, named Lee Moody, has been sentenced to two years in prison for sending a fake parcel bomb to an address in Cornwall.
Lee Moody, 58, pleaded guilty to charges of sending a letter with the intention of causing distress or anxiety, as well as perpetrating a bomb hoax. During the sentencing at Swansea Crown Court, Judge Geraint Walters emphasized the serious consequences of bomb hoaxes.
Authorities were initially unaware that the parcel was fake until their attempts to detonate it proved unsuccessful, revealing its true nature. Moody faced charges of dispatching a homemade mock explosive device via the postal service, intending to induce a belief in another person that the article was likely to explode or cause harm to individuals or property.
In addition to the custodial sentence, Judge Walters imposed a 10-year restraining order on Moody, allowing time for the situation to settle between the defendant and the victim.
Moody received a 25% reduction in his sentence. Prosecutor Zoe Kuyken informed the court of the strained relationship between Moody and the developer of Sailor’s Creek, where Moody’s boat had been moored for 15 years. On September 7, 2022, Moody sent a threatening letter to the victim, composed of text cuttings from magazines. The victim, fearing for their life, chose not to disclose the incident to anyone.
On January 6, the victim reported receiving a parcel that appeared to be a bomb. It was either a failed explosive or a fake device. Police and the bomb disposal squad were called to Flushing on January 8, 2023, as reports circulated about the potential threat. Approximately 200 to 300 people were evacuated from the village while awaiting assessment from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) unit. The police established a command center at Tregew Barn above the village. A 100-meter cordon was set up, and surrounding roads were closed during the forensic examination of the parcel.
Inside the package, authorities discovered a letter containing the message, “Make your peace with God. I am coming for you,” accompanied by a drawing depicting a stick figure with an axe through its heart, a knife at its neck, and a house on fire. The parcel was alleged to have been sent from Guildford, Surrey, on December 21, 2022.
During the trial, defense counsel Hannah George revealed that Moody had been struggling with mental health issues, including anxiety, autism, and PTSD, which played a role in his behavior. George argued that Moody’s autism diagnosis explained his difficulty in coping with change, asserting that his actions were out of character.
Taking into consideration Moody’s mental health challenges and his limited prior criminal record, Judge Geraint Walters acknowledged that individuals experiencing poor mental health are more likely to engage in bomb hoaxes. He stated that the prison sentence would provide Moody with the necessary psychiatric assistance.
The judge emphasized, “Especially in these troubled times, bomb hoaxes have serious consequences.”