Furrukh Jamil, a married university graduate, wrote the letters after he fell out with the friend and wanted to get him into trouble with the police.

Teresa Perry, prosecuting at Stroud Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, November 3 explained that staff at the police HQ in Waterwells, Quedgeley and those at Barton Street police station in Gloucester each received the bomb hoax letters on September 17.

The matter was referred to special branch police who worked extra time over a weekend to discover the letters were fake.

After visiting the man implicated in the letters they were led to Jamil, a taxi driver, who lives in Russell Street, Gloucester.

They also found that his finger prints matched those on the letters.

Defending, Robert Welch said: “Jamil and his former friend met at university.

“Jamil lent him some money but they fell out after he failed to pay it back.

“After some unpleasant confrontations Jamil was at his wits end.

“He stupidly wrote these letters in the hope that his friend would get into trouble with the police.

“He has no previous convictions and was an exemplary member of society before this incident.”

Jamil, who has a child due in April, was given four months in prison for each of the bomb hoax letters. The sentences will run consecutively.

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