Hospital bomb joke not funny | Ipswich News | Local News in Ipswich

By Brigid Simeoni

IF WRITING a hoax bomb threat on a whiteboard at Ipswich Hospital was meant to be a joke, the teen responsible was told it was no laughing matter yesterday.

Apprentice carpenter Joel Robert Halliday, 17, received 200 hours community service and a verbal dressing-down when he faced Ipswich District Court.

Halliday had been in the outpatients area of the hospital on the afternoon of January 31 when he wrote 'There is a bomb in the hospital' on the whiteboard.

Crown Prosecutor Gary Churchill said the building was not evacuated because the Ipswich teenager owned up when confronted and told staff and police the message was a joke.

"It can be viewed as a complete act of stupidity," Mr Churchill said during yesterday's sentence.

Judge Milton Griffin said the fact there was no evacuation did not make it less serious and while Halliday might have thought it was a prank, he did it in a place where there could have been significant consequences.

"I accept it was meant to be a prank but the prank went on far too long and it was far too stupid," Judge Griffin told Halliday.

HALLIDAY'S stupid behaviour could have inconvenienced people or, worse still, affected their health, Judge Griffin said.

Defence lawyer Matthew Fairclough said his young client remained in the busy area after writing on the whiteboard and was confronted just minutes later.

The court was told a podiatrist, who noticed Halliday near the whiteboard holding a pen earlier, pointed him out after seeing the message.

Halliday, who had no criminal history, pleaded guilty to one count of bomb hoax.

Mr Fairclough said it was a spontaneous, foolish act and his client had been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and was previously taking medication for impulsive behaviour.

A conviction was not recorded.