A man who took hostages at a Job Centre next door to a police station while wearing a fake suicide vest and warned terrified staff 'this is not a hoax' has been jailed for more than five years.
Maxwell Brennan, 28, was holding a device with wires which employees at Byker job centre in Newcastle thought was a detonator.
After holding a knife to an elderly security guard's throat he entered the building early on June 9 - the morning after the general election and only weeks after the Manchester bombing, Newcastle Crown Court heard.
Maxwell Brennan forced his way into the building after holding a knife to an elderly security guard's throat
Wearing what appeared to be a suicide vest he'd made himself, Brennan told staff: 'This is not a hoax.'
He let all the women but one leave before tying up employees of the Job Centre, which was next door to a police station
Brennan admitted false communication, false imprisonment and offences associated with having knives and hammers at a previous hearing and has now been jailed for five years and four months.
He made his fake vest out of aerosols, wood and metal, Mark Giuliani, prosecuting, said.
Brennan also had knives, hammers and tape to restrain hostages.
The court was shown CCTV of the three-hour incident, which troubled Brennan later told police was motivated by his GP was ignoring him.
Brennan carried this knife during the hostage-taking, when he wore a vest he'd made to look like a suicide vest using aerosols
Brennan was jailed for more than five years after tying up two male colleague despite them suffering from poor health
Brennan, of Shipley Walk, Byker, approached the security guard and said: 'This is not a hoax, I have a bomb.'
He then pushed his way into the building, which was not yet open to the public, and told staff to gather in the waiting area before letting all but one woman leave.
He then tied up two male colleagues, despite them being in poor health.
Officers quickly arrived from Byker Police Station next door and they established Brennan was emotionally unstable.
They safely negotiated the release of the men and Brennan eventually agreed to take off his vest.
He finally walked out of the building dressed only in his underpants so armed police could be sure he posed no threat.
Negotiators had asked him what he wanted and at one point he asked to see the Queen.
Much of Byker had been cordoned off, buses re-routed and the Metro system was partly shut down.
Armed police waited outside as Brennan emerged wearing only his underwear to show he was not a threat
Brennan was apprehended by armed police, who he told he wanted to see the Queen
This is the vest Brennan wore during the incident, which he fashioned using wood, metal and aerosol
He wielded knives during the attack, holding one to the throat of an elderly security guard
Staff were convinced the threat was real and victim statements revealed the trauma they have suffered since.
Tony Cornberg, defending, praised the armed officers for the restraint they showed in dealing with Brennan that day.
Armed police waited for Brennan outside as others stormed the building to arrest him
Judge Paul Sloan QC said: 'It is testament to the professionalism of the officers.'
Mr Cornberg said it had been a 'loud' cry for help.
'That is what lay at the heart of it,' he said. 'Not evil or the desire to hurt anybody.'
The judge said Brennan’s use of drink and drugs had worsened his mental health and since he had improved while on remand.
'There has been a marked psychological impact upon several of the hostages,' he said.
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