A man who made a bomb hoax call to a synagogue days after the Manchester synagogue attack has been jailed for 10 months.
Markel Ible, 32, was sentenced on Wednesday over his “disturbing” offence, which saw him call Sinai Synagogue in Roundhay, Leeds, on 6 October, claiming to have left a bomb there that was due to go off the following day.
It came just days after the deadly 2 October attack on Heaton Park Hebrew Congregation Synagogue, in Crumpsall, Manchester.
During the Manchester attack, on the Jewish holiday of Yom Kippur, father-of-three Melvin Cravitz, 66, was killed, along with Adrian Daulby.
Father-of-three Mr Cravitz died from multiple knife wounds inflicted by terrorist Jihad al Shamie.
Mr Daulby, a member of the congregation, died from a single gunshot wound to the chest fired by an armed police officer who scrambled to the scene.
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‘Sow panic and fear’
Ible, from Leeds, was sentenced at the city’s crown court after pleading guilty on 8 October to making a bomb hoax call.
The call was made from an unknown number.
Ann Graham, senior crown prosecutor for CPS Yorkshire and Humberside, said: “Markel Ible was acutely aware of the consequences of his actions, which were intended to sow panic and fear.
“The timing of his offence in the wake of the devastating attack in Manchester just days before makes it all the more disturbing.
“Working closely with the police, we were able to charge Ible and secure a guilty plea within a matter of days.”
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‘Cruel and calculated’
Dave Rich, director of policy for Jewish charity Community Security Trust (CST), said: “CST welcomes the Crown Prosecution Service treating this appalling incident with the seriousness it deserves.
“Ible’s hoax call was not just reckless, it was cruel and calculated, coming just days after the fatal terror attack at Heaton Park Synagogue in Manchester.
“The hoax call was designed to spread panic and distress at a time when the community was already feeling vulnerable.”
