Anonymous call made with robotic voice
A law student has been convicted of making hoax bomb threat to the University of Reading after being expelled, triggering the evacuation of campus buildings during induction week.
Muzammil Ayyaz, 30, was found guilty of two counts of communicating false information at Reading Crown Court. The court heard that he had previously brought a judicial review challenge against the university. The matter was settled on terms allowing him to resume his studies, but he was later expelled.
The Law Society Gazette reports that Ayyaz made around 700 calls to the uni over the summer of 2023, during which he made threats against staff.
He then escalated matters by making two calls in September that year, using an anonymous number and a robotic voice to claim that a bomb had been placed on campus. Both calls were made during induction week, when buildings were busy with new students.
The court heard that the hoax prompted a police response and the evacuation of university buildings, with the prosecutor noting that its timing during induction week was intended to have a “maximal effect”.
The trial saw Ayyaz dismiss two separate legal teams before conducting his own defence.
Sentencing has been listed for 14 April.
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