A 19-year-old charged over an alleged bomb hoax which forced a Peter Kay comedy show to be evacuated had to be removed from a crown court hearing after he started to undress.
The hearing for Omar Majed, who appeared at Birmingham Crown Court via video-link from HMP Brinsford, was cut short after prison officers removed the defendant from the room when he started to take off his prison-issue grey tracksuit bottoms.
Judge Andrew Smith KC was trying to address the defendant, who was not arraigned during the hearing due to the need for psychiatric reports, to let him know when he next needed to appear.
Judge Smith cut short his remarks to Majed and stated for the court record that prison staff had understandably escorted the defendant out of the video hearing room.
A further case management hearing for Majed, of Saltley, Birmingham, who was charged with communicating false information to police contrary to the Criminal Law Act, was set for July 27 and a provisional date for a trial, lasting two weeks, was scheduled for November 3.
Kay, aged 52, was ushered off stage during his show at the Utilita Arena in Birmingham on May 1 and the show was cancelled after the evacuation.
West Midlands Police later said “nothing suspicious was found” during searches.
In an update on May 2, the force said: “An evacuation of the arena was ordered yesterday evening after a report of a suspicious bag being left in the area.
“Following searches, nothing suspicious was found and we are grateful to everyone for their co-operation and understanding.
“As always, our priority is the safety of the public.”
The show was part of Kay’s Better Late Than Never national tour, which will see all proceeds donated to 12 cancer charities.
