Tesco bomb threats: local man appears in court


by Duncan Smith


POLICE investigating the sinis­ ter bomb threats which closed 14 Tesco stores across the country on Saturday, July 14th, have charged a Clitheroe man and said they are not looking for anyone


else. I t is understood police removed


computer equipment and other items from the home of 51-year-old Philip McHugh, in Milton Avenue, where he had lived for the past three-and-a- half years with his wife and two teenage children. Prior to th a t , unemployed


McHugh had lived in the Accrington area and worked as a tax inspector for the Inland Revenue. He also worked briefly as a volunteer for the Shelter charity shop in Moor Lane, Clitheroe, and as a part-time lecturer in photography a t Nelson and Colne College. Last Thursday McHugh appeared


before magistrates in Stevenage, Hertfordshire, charged with threat­ ening to carry out bomb attacks on Tesco stores unless the company paid him£lm.


The investigation was carried out


by Hertfordshire Police because Tesco’s headquarters is in that coun­ ty, but local police officers assisted with McHugh’s arrest early on July 23rd, During his brief court appearance,


McHugh spoke only to confirm his name and address. Flanked by two prison officers and


wearing a white T-shirt and black trousers, he listened as the court clerk read out four specimen charges - two counts of blackmail and two of making bomb hoaxes. The blackmail charges allege that


on July 7th and July 13th, with a view to gain for himself, McHugh made unwarranted demands for £500,000 on each occasion. The two specimen charges of making bomb hoaxes relate to Tesco stores in Grimsby and Pontefract. McHugh was not required to enter


any pleas to the charges and there was no application for bail. Magistrates remanded him in cus­


tody to next appear a t Luton Crown Court on August 10th. A plea and case management hearing was also fixed for October 29th. Hertfordshire's Assistant Chief Constable Gary Kitching said the


threats and I am pleased an individ­ ual has been arrested and charged.” Tesco would not put a figure on the


loss of business, although the 14 stores affected - including the Clitheroe Tesco store - remained closed until the following day. I t is believed letters were also sent relat­ ing to other Tesco stores, including the one in Burnley, but they did not arrive until Monday, July 16th. • Just nine days before the Tesco


stores were closed due to bomb threats, Philip McHugh wrote to the Clitheroe Advertiser and Times mak­ ing “a plea for a return to sanity.” His letter was in response to our


investigation involved the Serious Organised Crime Agency and the Food Standards Agency. Mr Kitching said: “Throughout


the whole inquiry public safety was of paramount importance to both ourselves and Tesco. “The successful charging of Philip


McHugh has come about through the hard work and tenacity of officers and police staff. “Demands of this nature are taken


very seriously, but it is crucial that in cases like this companies are not held to ransom and are given the support from law agencies to deal with the issue head on.” Mr David Potts, of Tesco, said:


“Throughout this series of events, the safety of the public and our staff was always our top priority and we worked closely with the police to respond quickly and responsibly. These were of course worrying


front-page articles on July 5th about an unprovoked attack on a young man in Clitheroe and how a 17-year- old multiple offender had avoided a prison sentence. In his letter, printed in our July


12th edition, Philip McHugh claimed many young people had no respect and “know there is no punishment for anything they may do wrong”. He called for a “return to the rea­


soned application of corporal punish­ ment” and urged “all the silent, decent people to stand up and be counted”.


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