Widnes Man Convicted for Sending ‘White Powder’ Threat to Former PM
A 54-year-old man from Widnes, Cheshire, has been convicted today for mailing a hoax package containing white powder and violent images addressed to a former Prime Minister.
Suspicious Package Sparks Terror Probe
Back in April 2018, staff at an east London postal sorting office spotted a suspicious envelope bound for the Prime Minister. Inside was white powder and disturbing violent images. The Met’s Counter Terrorism Command swooped quickly.
Explosives experts tested the substance and confirmed it was harmless citric acid. But the threat was taken seriously, sparking a full-scale investigation. On 24 May 2018, Christopher Doyle was arrested at home in Cheshire, with officers seizing his computer and phone.
Depraved Discovery on Doyle’s Devices
Forensic experts uncovered indecent images of children hidden on Doyle’s hard drive. Police charged him in December 2019 with multiple offences:
- Hoax involving noxious substances under the Anti-Terrorism Act
- Making indecent photographs of children
- Possession of indecent images of children
Trial and Sentencing on the Horizon
In February 2020, Doyle pleaded guilty to the child image offences but not guilty to the hoax charge. He faces trial for the hoax later this year and is due to be sentenced for all crimes on 3 September at Liverpool Crown Court.
“The Met treats hoaxes and any attempts to make MPs and elected officials fear for their safety extremely seriously,” said Commander Richard Smith, head of the Counter Terrorism Command. “We will deal robustly with such incidents and bring offenders to justice.”
Protecting MPs After Jo Cox Tragedy
The Met also runs the Parliamentary Liaison and Investigation Team (PLAIT), set up after MP Jo Cox’s murder in 2016, to tackle abuse and threats against MPs and their families.
