POLICE swarmed around James Arthur Notley's home after he threatened to kill Home Secretary Jack Straw, a court was told.

And he was the centre of press attention after the police issued an incorrect press statement indicating that Notley had threatened the Blackburn MP directly rather than through two ladies at a community centre.

Blackburn magistrates heard that one of them forgot to tell a police inspector she met the same day, and it was not until the following day that the police were informed.

Notley, 47, of Infirmary Street, Blackburn, pleaded guilty to using threatening behaviour and was fined £100 with £60 costs. A charge of making a threat to kill Mr Straw and Keith Bradley, MP for Didsbury, was withdrawn.

Mr Michael Blacklidge, defending, said that once the police were informed there had been quite a hue and cry.

"His home was searched, all sorts of warrants were issued under the anti-terrorism laws and all this for a man who has previous convictions for nothing worse than shoplifting," said Mr Blacklidge. He said Notley, who had previously met and spoken to Mr Bradley, had a healthy interest in politics.

He had gone to the Ivy Street Community Centre to find out when the next surgery involving Mr Straw would be held and had been talking to the ladies who were having a cup of tea in the foyer.

"He accepts that he may have started to ramble and there came a point when the ladies were not really taking him seriously," said Mr Blacklidge. As a throw away line he said something like "I would like to shoot Jack Straw and Keith Bradley."

He said that after Notley's arrest, misleading information had been issued by Lancashire Constabulary to the Press Association which suggested he had threatened Jack Straw directly and not through any intermediary.

"The following press interest caused him considerable distress and that was clearly unnecessary and unwarranted," said Mr Blacklidge. "Such was the seriousness with which the police viewed the matter that my client was released on bail."

Converted for the new archive on 14 July 2000. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.