A TEENAGER who sent bomb hoaxes to hundreds of schools around the UK - including York and North Yorkshire - and caused a security scare at an American airport, has been sentenced to three years in prison.

York Press:

George Duke-Cohan

George Duke-Cohan, 19, was arrested in March following bomb threats which led to more than 400 schools being evacuated and while under investigation for that crime, sent emails to schools around the UK and US claiming pipe bombs had been planted on the premises.

Schools affected in York included Our Lady Queen of Martyrs RC Primary School in Hamilton Drive and Hempland Primary School, where school bags, coats and lunch bags were searched. In April, North Yorkshire Police confirmed schools in the region had been affected by the second offence.

York Press:

Duke-Cohan being arrested by the National Crime Agency

North Yorkshire Police worked with the National Crime Agency who found Duke-Cohan made bomb threats to a United Airlines flight travelling from the UK causing the aircraft, part of the airport and 295 passengers to be quarantined when it landed in San Francisco.

The NCA released a recording of his hoax call to the airline, which you can listen to here:

Duke-Cohan, from Watford, Hertfordshire, was arrested by NCA officers for the third time, and admitted three counts of making hoax bomb threats at Luton Magistrates' Court in September.