A man from Leeds has been charged in connection with the incident at St James’s Hospital on Friday, January 20.
Following an investigation led by Counter Terrorism Policing North East, the CPS has this evening (Thursday, January 26) authorised charges under the Terrorism Act, in addition to explosives and firearms offences.
The 27 year old man from Roundhay, has been charged with the following:
One offence of engaging in the preparation of an act of terrorism, contrary to section 5 of the Terrorism Act 2006.
One offence of possessing an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence, contrary to Section 16(a) of the Firearms Act 1968.
One offence of keeping an explosive with intent to endanger life or property, contrary to Section 3 of the Explosive Substances Act 1883.
He remains in custody and will appear before Westminster Magistrates Court via video link tomorrow, Friday, January 27.
Detective Chief Superintendent James Dunkerley, Head of Counter Terrorism Policing North East, said:
“We understand people may have concerns following last week’s arrest and the resulting charges.
“For Counter Terrorism policing and its partners, public safety remains our priority at all times and an extensive and thorough investigation has led to the charges brought today.
“These enquiries have confirmed our initial assessment that this was an isolated incident. We are satisfied that there is currently no evidence of an increased risk to the public, within our communities or the UK hospital estate, in connection with this investigation.
“Despite this, the UK threat level remains at Substantial, and history has shown us we can’t afford to be complacent. Public vigilance is invaluable in supporting the efforts of Counter Terrorism Policing and its partners to protect our communities from harm.
“Every year thousands of reports from the public help police to respond early to potentially suspicious activity. If you see or hear something that doesn’t seem right, trust your instincts and ACT by reporting to police in confidence at gov.uk/ACT. In an emergency, always dial 999.
“We’re grateful for the support we’ve received from the public during this investigation. We’d particularly like to thank the staff and patients at St James’s Hospital for their patience and cooperation throughout the disruption last Friday.”
