Long prison sentence for officer behind hoax kidnap call

A police officer who sparked a major terror alert by making a hoax 999 call to his own force has been sent to prison for seven years.

Police Constable Amar Tasaddiq Hussain, 29, was convicted of two counts of conspiracy to pervert the course of justice on May 3.

A three-week trial at Stafford Crown Court was told PC Hussain`s actions prompted West Midlands Police (WMP) to take unprecedented security measures to combat a supposed plot to kidnap a Muslim officer.

Adil Bashir, 26, and Muhammad Ali Sheikh, 31, both from Birmingham, were also convicted of the same charges and given three-year prison terms.

The court was told Hussain hoped his false tip-off would discredit an official within an Islamic community group. The malicious 999 call in December 2014 — passing on details of the “kidnap” plot — followed two other anonymous calls alleging that a sham marriage was taking place in Birmingham.

Prosecutor Simon Davis claimed the call alleging a terrorist plot was an attempt by PC Hussain to discredit a fellow member of Dawat-e-Islami, a faith group which held peaceful gatherings in the West Midlands.

The allegation that a kidnapping was imminent led to a man being arrested within 24 hours by counter-terrorism officers at a tyre business in Walsall.

On May 27, Judge Michael Chambers told Hussain he caused chaos and anxiety to his colleagues and enormous difficulties for his force.

He said: “It`s quite clear you abused your knowledge of the 999 system and police procedures for your own ends.

“It is also clear you were prepared to say any lie to avoid your guilt despite what was overwhelming evidence.”

PC Hussain is expected to be dismissed at a misconduct hearing next month.