Bradford Crown Court heard that Hodgson had previously claimed to have made a bomb. Mr Recorder Alistair MacDonald KC said there were “great similarities” between the bomb hoax and the fake gun. Worshippers were urged to stay indoors and to dial 999 if they saw anything suspicious. “In the end, the rods constituted just imitations of a rifle, and in fact no serious harm was done to anyone as a result.”The court heard that Hodgson’s “wide-ranging” criminal record included convictions for violence and harassment. He said the minimum sentence that he was able to impose was 12 months' imprisonment.