A YORK security guard who led a secret life as a bomb hoaxer has been jailed for 12 months.

Ian Hood sneaked out during snack breaks and alerted emergency services to "bombs" at Boyes' store in York, and at its Scarborough branch, where he worked.

On one occasion the 36-year-old walked back into the store after alerting police and calmly helped evacuate customers and staff, York Crown Court heard.

Hood admitted two separate offences relating to bomb hoaxes at stores in York and Scarborough.

Judge Peter Charlesworth told Hood they were serious offences, which could have caused panic among customers.

"Hoaxers cause tremendous anxiety and risk to the public - especially in the present climate," he added.

"Anyone who carries out these sorts of actions must receive an immediate prison sentence."

Nicholas Barker, prosecuting, said that on October 28 last year Hood, of Bell Farm Avenue, York, contacted the Evening Press and reported a bomb at the Scarborough branch of Boyes.

"The police were alerted and the store was evacuated and a search was carried out," he said.

Another call was made to the newspaper on November 4 when a man alerted a reporter to a bomb at the York branch of Boyes.

"The main said: 'York, Boyes, bomb, 45 minutes,' before ringing off," said the prosecutor.

The net closed in on Hood when he was caught on CCTV leaving the Scarborough store for a break at the time of one of the hoaxes.

Investigators also traced the call to a phone box next to the Boyes store where Hood worked and used voice recognition experts to identify him.

John Devlin, defending, said there was no excuse for Hood's actions.

"He does have previous convictions for dishonesty, but in the time since these incidents last year there is no suggestion he has done anything else wrong," he added.

The officer who lead the investigation, Brian Dennis, from Scarborough CID, said he was pleased with the sentence.

"These were very serious matters and ones which were very difficult to prove," he said. "They involved potentially diverting the emergency services away from other incidents."

Updated: 10:55 Thursday, December 13, 2001