Pictures and video: Fake bomb deliberately planted to bring fear to Wellington community

Today Alister Taylor is starting a 20-month jail sentence for leaving a fake bomb in a town centre in Shropshire.

Bomb disposal units swooped on Wellington, sealing off a large area and evacuating homes.

The device was left outside Wellington Medical Practice by 20-year-old Taylor on July 10 last year.

He was sentenced yesterday at Shrewsbury Crown Court for making an item with intent to cause the belief that it was likely to explode.

It was described as an attack that was a deliberate attempt to bring fear to the town.

At 6.40am someone discovered the package and took it to Wellington Police Station.

The road between the junctions with Wrekin Road and Glebe Street had to be closed.

A Royal Logistic Corp bomb disposal unit arrived on the scene and a bomb disposal robot was deployed – and two controlled explosions were heard.

• 'To all Christians in Wellington – sweet dreams' - Jail for man who wanted to 'stir up racial tensions' with fake bomb

Scores of people, including some in their pyjamas, were evacuated from their homes during the drama and taken to a supermarket.

Those living in Glebe Street and Victoria Road were initially warned to stay in their properties and away from windows.

But as the situation developed, the residents of the Victoria Road Apartments and Heywood Lonsdale Court were told by police they had to leave their homes.

Heywood Lonsdale Court provides retirement and sheltered housing and its residents were asked to leave their apartments just before 9am.

Taylor, of Victoria Avenue, was later arrested and admitted a charge of placing an article with intent causing the belief it was likely to explode or ignite, causing damage to persons or property.

Taylor was set to be sentenced on November 30 but Judge Peter Barrie adjourned the hearing for a psychological report and for the reasons for him committing the offence explored.

The drama and the need to evacuate the residents triggered Telford & Wrekin Council's Civil Resilience Team to initiate their emergency plan. The plan involved minibuses taking the elderly residents to Tesco on the Wrekin Retail Park, where they would be looked after until it was safe to return home.

Nicola White, the transport manager, was onsite at Glebe Street to organise the transfer of the residents from Heywood Lonsdale Court.

Superintendent David McWilliam said at the time: "We would like to remind people of our advice if they do ever find a package they believe to be suspicious, don't move it and call the police who will carry out a threat assessment and respond appropriately."