Shefford Lower School bomb threat hoaxer jailed
A bomb hoaxer who caused the evacuation of a school as part of a "campaign of terror" against a young mother has been jailed for 17 months.
Scott Spraggs, 32, of Vinters Avenue, Stevenage, started harassing a Shefford woman after she had ended their one-month relationship.
Spraggs had emailed Shefford Lower School, where the woman's daughter was a pupil, warning of a bomb.
He was jailed at Luton Crown Court, after admitting making a bomb hoax.
Spraggs also pleaded guilty to harassment and criminal damage.
False dating accounts
The court heard that Spraggs bombarded the woman with nasty emails and texts, made threats to her and her child and sent men to her home expecting to have sex with her.
Prosecutor Neil King said that the harassment started in August when Spraggs made more than 250 missed calls to the woman.
He set up false online dating accounts in her name and sent men who got in contact to her home for sex.
Judge Nic Madge said it was hard to imagine any behaviour more unpleasant or threatening.
He made a restraining order banning Spraggs from contacting the victim or her daughter.
'Campaign of terror'
On 7 December, Shefford Lower School received an email which stated there was a bomb in the school.
The school called the police and the 472 pupils and 60 staff were evacuated.
In a statement read to the court, his victim said: "The harassment nearly ruined my life."
Mr King said that in 2015 Spraggs had been given a suspended sentence for stalking a former girlfriend.
Paula Bignall, representing Spraggs, said he had "waged a campaign of terror".
She said his behaviour stemmed from trauma in his childhood.