Hunt for man accused of Downing Street bomb hoax after he fails to show up for court over lockdown incident

Police are hunting for an IT technician accused of carrying out a rucksack bomb hoax outside Downing Street during the coronavirus crisis.

Toby Champeney, 57, is accused of leaving a suspicious package near to Prime Minister Boris Johnson’s official residence while the national lockdown was in place in April.

It is said he told police the rucksack contained a bomb and allegedly wanted to “provoke a reaction”, Westminster magistrates court heard.

Champeney was set free on bail following his first court appearance in April, but did not show up to court for today’s hearing.

His lawyer asked for the case to be adjourned for a week, but magistrate Nicholas Tarry issued a warrant for Champeney’s arrest.

“We are very concerned that he has become uncontactable and we believe that it is in the interest of justice to bring him into custody as soon as possible so he can answer this charge”, he said.

Champeney is charged over an incident in Downing Street on April 21, just after the coronavirus lockdown had been extended and as Boris Johnson was recovering from his own bout of the disease.

He is charged with a bomb hoax for placing an article “with the intention of inducing in another a belief that the said article was likely to explode or ignite and thereby cause personal injury or damage to property”, and a public order charge of using threatening or abusive words or behaviour.

Champeney was released in April on bail on the conditions he live at his home address and does not enter Whitehall in central London.

Champeney, from Fulham, has not yet entered pleas to the charges. Police now have the power to trace and detain him in order to bring him to a court hearing.