Teenager, 18, who triggered major security alert after planting fake bomb and arming himself with black candle lighter in hope police would shoot him dead is jailed for 14 months

• Husnain Masood used candle lighter and put fake device with wires on his back
• He hoped armed officers called to the scene would gun him down in the street
• Masood, from Rochdale, admitted two offences of possession of bladed article 
• Also pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm and bomb hoax offence

A teenager who triggered a major security alert after planting a fake bomb and arming himself with a black candle lighter in the hope that police would shoot him dead has been jailed for 14 months.

Husnain Masood, 18, told officers his actions – carried out while dressed all in black with a balaclava – was ‘a suicide attempt, not an act of terror’.

Police received a call from a phone box in Rochdale at 3am on April 21, 2022, saying the suspect was holding a weapon and had placed a bag with wires coming out of it under a bus stop. 

Officers attended and confirmed that there was a bag matching the caller’s description and put a cordon in place whilst he Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit were called.

As one of the officers waited for backup to arrive, he was approached by Masood, only for a colleague to yell a warning as he saw him carrying a knife. 

The teenager then turned his attention to the officer who issued the warning and began chasing him, shouting he would shoot him, before other officers stepped in to assist.

They saw what looked like the butt of a gun in his hand, and they could see he had wires coming from his clothing.

Masood was detained by use of a taser and incapacitant spray. During the chase, Masood was seen to throw a knife in a nearby grid, which was later recovered.

When searched, Masood had a second smaller knife and three notes, including one saying, ‘this is a suicide attempt, not an act of terror’.

Husnain Masood, 18, dressed all in black with a balaclava, used a black candle lighter as a gun and put a fake device with wires on his back in the hope officers called to the scene would gun him down in the street

Police received a call from a phone box in Rochdale at 3am on April 21, 2022, saying the suspect was holding a weapon and had placed a bag with wires coming out of it under a bus stop

Officers attended and confirmed that there was a bag matching the caller’s description and put a cordon in place whilst he Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit were called

The Army Explosive Ordinance Disposal Unit later carried out a controlled explosion on the device, which was found to be ‘non viable’.

Masood explained in interview that he believed if he appeared to be a credible threat that the police would shoot him.

He planted the bag under the bus stop, making it obvious by having wires hanging out, in a bid for armed officers to be called.

He then called the police himself via the phone box and presented himself to police saying shoot me.  

Masood claimed he had no intention of hurting anyone else and was sorry for frightening the officers. 

What he hoped would be considered a gun was in fact a black candle lighter.

One officer said in his victim impact statement: ‘This incident scared me, I was put in genuine fear of serious harm and death from this man, I was also put in fear, as I felt that I couldn’t help my co-workers and friends.’

At Minshull Street Crown Court, Manchester Masood, from Rochdale, pleaded guilty to two offences of possession of bladed article, possession of an imitation firearm with intent to cause fear of violence and a bomb hoax offence.

Joanna Crook, Senior Crown Prosecutor for CPS North West said after the case: ‘Masood’s actions caused a great deal of fear, not to mention the expense and time of the police and bomb disposal experts who could have put that time to better use.

‘Masood admitted his actions when spoken to by the police and apologised for what he had done.

‘The police officers who dealt with incident showed great bravery in the face of a very serious incident.’

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