KELOWNA – A Summerland man has been sentenced to a year in jail for making a bomb threat to stop a plane from leaving without him.
Michael Howells, 37, made the call in October 2014 because he was running late to catch a WestJet flight from Kelowna to work in Fort McMurray.
RCMP traced the call to Howells’ cell phone and he was soon after arrested at the airport.
He later pleaded guilty to two counts of mischief.
The judge called the false bomb threat a very serious matter that caused a lot of stress and anxiety.
“Obviously, a great many people were adversely affected by the accused’s narcissistic behaviour,” said provincial court judge Wilf Klinger. “The accused must have known the consequences of his telephone call. What the delay would mean for others was disregarded. In my view, denunciation and general deterrence are the prime sentencing objectives.”
Three WestJet flights were cancelled and the airline claims it incurred more than $53,000 in extra costs.
Along with the jail time and two years probation, the judge ordered Howells to pay almost $4,000 restitution to the City of Kelowna as airport operator.
His lawyer says Howell’s long time drug addiction problems clouded his appreciation of the consequences of the bomb scare.
When arrested, Howells had small amounts of heroin and methamphetamine concealed in his underwear.
In court, he apologized for his bomb threat, saying “stupidity” is the only way to explain it.
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