A man with a grudge against women has been jailed for sending envelopes containing white powder – some of them marked “anthrax” – to 15 female politicians.
The packages were found to contain flour, protein powder and bicarbonate of soda, but fairground worker Richard Hayes’s three-year campaign caused distress, lasting trauma and undermined the democratic process, police and prosecutors said.
In one case a politician was taken to hospital for checks and its accident and emergency department was evacuated, while on another occasion a post office was closed for days. On all occasions specialist chemical, biological, radioactive and nuclear (CBRN) trained officers were deployed, sometimes in protective suits.
Among Hayes’s targets were the Conservative MP Chloe Smith and the Labour MP Emma Reynolds. Other victims included the Liberal Democrat Welsh assembly member Kirsty Williams and Heidi Alexander, the deputy mayor for transport in London. He also sent packages to several female Manchester and Exeter councillors. One councillor pledged not to stand for public office again.
Hayes, 40, a former bus driver, admitted 16 charges of making a noxious substance hoax, contrary to section 114 of the Anti-terrorism, Crime and Security Act 2001. He was jailed for five years.
Sentencing him at Exeter crown court, Mrs Justice May told him his campaign caused distress and disruption. She said on several occasions parents were left terrified because their children had been with them when packages were opened and the white powder spilled out.
She accepted there was no political motive but said Hayes, whose last address was in Brixham, south Devon, had been under stress, in debt and angry at women in general after a break-up.
Rachel Drake, prosecuting, said Hayes had accepted the conclusion in his probation report that he had a “hostility to women”.
Emily Cook, in mitigation, said Hayes was a “simple man” who did have an understanding of the consequences of his actions. She said he copied an incident in which powder was sent to a member of the Welsh assembly but added: “He is not politically motivated. No members of a specific party were targeted.” She said he had voted Labour in the past because his father did but had not voted in recent elections or the EU referendum.
Hayes was caught when police took his DNA and fingerprints after he was cautioned last December for harassing a woman.
DCI Ian Butler, from the eastern region special operations unit’s counter-terrorism policing unit, said: “Each package Hayes sent was found to contain various non-hazardous powders including flour, protein powder and bicarbonate of soda, despite in some cases being described as ‘anthrax’ on the envelopes.
“But this does not diminish the severe psychological impact such a hoax can have on its victims, especially as none of them knew whether the powder was in fact harmful.
“The effect of the hoaxes orchestrated by Hayes in today’s society is far-reaching, as it triggered understandable panic and emotional distress to those involved and their families. This distress is unlikely to ever leave the victims, some of whom have described life-changing consequences in the years since the attacks.
“This is also not to mention the significant impact on our policing and health infrastructure. In each of these cases, numerous specialist CBRN trained officers were deployed.
“The sentence should serve as a warning that hoaxes are not a joke – they are taken extremely seriously and we have pursued this case vehemently.”
Howard Phillips, senior crown prosecutor, said: “Attacks on our elected officials are attacks on the heart of our democracy. They clearly have a personal toll too, and these letters caused significant distress to the recipients and their staff, leaving them in fear for their safety.”
