NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — A 14-year-old boy who called in a bomb threat to a Nova Scotia hospital, then watched from a nearby McDonald’s restaurant as it was evacuated, has been sentenced to a year in youth jail.
The boy, who can’t be named because of his age, admitted to police that he made the call from a Zellers near the Aberdeen Hospital in New Glasgow on May 30.
Crown attorney Jody McNeill told the boy’s sentencing hearing Tuesday that he and his friends thought it would be fun to watch what happened.
The court was told the boy told the hospital switchboard there were five bombs in the building and they would detonate in 25 minutes.
The boy from Plymouth, N.S., told police he felt guilty after watching the “old people” come out.
A total of 94 patients, as well as staff, had to be removed from the Aberdeen for nine hours, costing the Pictou County Health Authority $18,000 in overtime and $57,000 in other costs.
The boy pleaded guilty in June to uttering threats and breach of probation.
The boy woke up the next morning asking to see a newspaper and watch the news on television — actions described as out of character for him. McNeill said that was “presumably to see the media coverage” of the evacuation.
He later confessed to his grandmother, who contacted authorities.
The boy pleaded guilty in June to uttering threats and breach of probation.
Because of the prior history and the severity of the charge, McNeill argued for a period in custody, saying it was “such an egregious set of facts that the community would be shocked” if the sentence didn’t include time in custody.
McNeill highlighted the case of Marilyn Alexander, who died the same day as the bomb threat and wanted to donate her corneas to people in need.
“Despite the efforts of her family, they were unable to do that because of the evacuation,” the prosecutor told the court. “Obviously, that had a devastating impact.”
Defence lawyer Steve Robertson agreed that custody was warranted, but said the teen has had a difficult life.
“His own father is only 31, so you can do the math,” he said.
(New Glasgow News)