Kebab shop worker, 52, made hoax bomb threat to Truro Cathedral to drum up trade in the hope they would get more customers from the evacuated congregation, court hears

  • Anthony Moroncini, 52, used a phone box near to Truro Cathedral in Cornwall
  • He made hoax bomb threat call to get more customers to come to kebab shop
  • Judge Simon Carr jailed him for a total of 16 months at Truro Crown Court 

By Bhvishya Patel For Mailonline

Published: | Updated:

A kebab shop employee made a hoax bomb threat call to a cathedral in an effort to drum up trade from the evacuated congregation, a court has heard.

Anthony Moroncini, 52, was seen on CCTV footage using a phone box near Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, to make the hoax call and get more customers to come to his kebab shop nearby. 

Moroncini, who gave his own name to the call handler, told police that he made the hoax call to increase footfall at the kebab shop and promote his chances of work last month, Truro Crown Court heard.  

Anthony Moroncini, 52, who used a phone box near Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, to make the hoax call, was jailed for a total of 16 months

Anthony Moroncini, 52, who used a phone box near Truro Cathedral in Cornwall, to make the hoax call, was jailed for a total of 16 months

Miss Holly Rust, defending, said: 'He was helping out at the kebab shop for food and the whole idea was to increase footfall when the cathedral was evacuated. He was out of control.'

She said the homeless defendant did not think about the significant impact on the emergency services and the public.

She said: 'It was a single phone call and he gave his own name.

Prosecutor Ali Rafati said Moroncini has committed 93 offences since 1994, mostly for dishonesty and violence.

He said the defendant said there was a bomb in the Cathedral and armed police, dog units, bomb disposal teams and other 999 services were scrambled to the scene.

He told police he worked as an optical illusionist at the Eden Project and 'wanted to do a boom'.  

The bomb hoax took place in the same month Moroncini tried to get through the doors at Longreach Hospital mental health unit.

When he was unable to enter, Moroncini shouted abuse at security staff and smashed the windscreen of a car.  

The kebab shop employee made the hoax to Truro Cathedral in an effort to drum up trade from the evacuated congregation

The kebab shop employee made the hoax to Truro Cathedral in an effort to drum up trade from the evacuated congregation

On September 9, the kebab shop worker damaged flowers outside a restaurant in Truro and later returned to the same restaurant to help himself to a cake and milk. 

On September 13, Moroncini started a fire near a Shell Garage after stealing a barbecue and de-icer.

He also assaulted two members of security at Truro Job Centre just hours later.  

Today, Moroncini pleaded guilty to five criminal damage charges, burglary, three thefts, a bomb hoax, two assaults and using threatening, insulting or abusive words or behaviour. 

Judge Simon Carr jailed him for a total of 16 months.

He told him: 'You have pleaded guilty to a catalogue of offending over a period of approximately ten days in early September and you were ill. 

'Any bomb hoax is a serious offence and the effect it has on the emergency services and the public.' 

Crime

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