- Joined
- Oct 21, 2009
- Messages
- 1,319
- Points
- 0
Man jailed 6 weeks for Swissotel bomb hoax
By Alvina Soh | Posted: 31 October 2011 1818 hrs
SINGAPORE : A Swedish former chef of Swissotel the Stamford was jailed six weeks on Monday for making a bomb hoax call.
42-year-old Erik Halvard Halvardsson called police on September 20 last year, claiming there was a bomb at the Swissotel.
Halvardsson, who worked as a sous chef at Equinox Restaurant at the hotel, made the call from Raffles City Shopping Centre at 11.47am.
After viewing CCTV footage, police confirmed he made the call.
The father of two was later arrested.
Deputy Public Prosecutor Zhong Zewei said the bomb hoax call was a concern since it concerned 'high value' targets and involved a public place with high human traffic.
He also highlighted that the call was made just a few days before the 2010 Formula One Singapore Grand Prix, when hotel occupancy rates were near their peak.
In his mitigation, Defence Counsel Suresh Damodara said that Halvardsson suffered from depression and partial brain damage from alcohol abuse.
Mr Damodara added that the combination of antibiotics and alcohol caused Halvardsson to suffer from mental confusion and impairment.
The court also heard that Halvardsson had only a 'vague recollection of calling police'.
Halvardsson could have been jailed up to seven years and fined S$50,000.
- CNA/ms
