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Man who sent envelopes of white powder to Westfield centres, Stansted Airport and schools is jailed

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Vincent
Published date18 April 2024
Publication titleMyLondon (England)
He was sentenced to four years and three months in prison at Woolwich Crown Court on Thursday, after previously pleading guilty to 21 charges of sending a hoax substance contrary to the Anti-Terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. The court heard that Preston sent 42 envelopes containing white powder, which was later confirmed to be talcum powder, from September 20 to November 4 2013

Among the venues targeted were the in both East and West London, schools and colleges in Braintree, Essex, and the Premier Inn at Stansted Airport. The venue addresses were either printed out and stuck onto the envelopes or handwritten in black ink.

Some of the envelopes also contained threatening letters on white paper that included small texts of Arabic, such as "Think fast, you have seconds Inshallah". One of the envelopes caused an entire hotel with 303 rooms to be evacuated, the court heard.

Preston was arrested on September 16 2020 and pleaded guilty to the charges on August 11 last year. The defendant was also sentenced to a further five years and three months in prison for a separate charge of serious indecent assault at knifepoint that occurred on January 26 1988 at a women's public toilets in Rainham, then part of Essex.

Defence barrister Steven Dyble said at an earlier hearing that Preston had suffered "a cognitive decline" in recent years but added: "There are no mental issues that we seek to lay before the...

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