A CONVICTED blackmailer who threatened to bomb Tesco stores has revealed why he brought supermarkets across the UK to a standstill.

Philip McHugh, of Milton Avenue, Clitheroe, was jailed for six years at St Albans Crown Court yesterday for a £1million blackmail plot against the supermarket chain.

He sent 76 hoax letters threatening to bomb stores including branches in Burnley and Clitheroe last summer.

In a letter obtained by the Lancashire Telegraph, McHugh said he had been on a "downward spiral of self-destruction" taking excessive amounts of sleeping tablets and alcohol in the lead-up to the crime.

And he said his home life was deteriorating and debts mounting.

He also revealed that before committing the crime:

  • Depression left him feeling an inadequate failure.
  • He contemplated suicide .
  • His marriage and family life crumbled as his failure to find a job left mounting debts.
  • His abuse of prescription drugs and alcohol contributed to his state of alienation from other people and society in general.

McHugh suffered severe depression in the months leading up to his campaign, and told a psychiatrist he saw the blackmail attempt as a "last gamble" at getting his life back on track, the court was told.

The court heard how McHugh's threats, in part prompted by an addiction to online gambling, which had run up debts of £37,000, culminated in 14 branches having to close.

He also threatened to contaminate Tesco yoghurt with caustic soda if store bosses refused to comply with his demands for money.

In the letter, exclusively revealed to the Lancashire Telegraph by his brother Nigel, McHugh said: "Underlying feelings of inadequacy and failure were fuelled by the negative things in my life.

"During 2006 I started to have very strong suicidal thoughts, particularly during hours of darkness.

"I obtained barbiturates, painkillers and mogadon and in extreme moments used them in excessive doses with alcohol.

"Home life continued to deteriorate and debts to mount as I had no income from Christmas 2006 and this state continued until the time of my crime.

"I abused mogadon sleeping tablets and alcohol in a quest for relief which contributed to my state of alienation from other people and society in general.

"I was on a downward spiral of self-destruction and it was during this time that I carried out my crime.

"I was a person of good character who through personal despair and hopelessness intensified by drugs and alcohol, something which I now deeply regret."

He apologised for his actions and said he was "glad" nobody was hurt.

He said he "deeply regretted" his actions and wrote: "I want to make it clear that my personal misfortune was no excuse for the demands for money which I made to Tesco."