A man who was convicted of “menace” earlier this year after he threatened to blow up a British airport in a “foolish prank” on Twitter has lost his appeal.
Paul Chambers, a 27-year-old accountant, had established an online relationship with a woman living in Belfast and he arranged to visit her last January.
He planned to fly to Northern Ireland from an airport near Doncaster but when he heard a report suggesting poor weather had closed it he posted a tweet in which he said: "Crap! Robin Hood airport is closed. You've got a week and a bit to get your sh*t together otherwise I'm blowing the airport sky high!"
He was subsequently arrested by South Yorkshire police after airport officials had complained about his post.
He was convicted and fined £1,000 and also lost his financial manager's job.
Judge Jacqueline Davies read the tweet out in court today and said it contained menace and that Chambers must have known that it might be taken seriously. She dismissed his appeal on all counts.