A Fife pensioner accused of threatening to kill Theresa May and masterminding a series of bomb hoaxes has maintained her innocence at her latest pre-trial hearing.
Isabella Jackson, 72, of Braehead Gardens, Buckhaven, is expected to stand trial in December after maintaining not guility pleas to five charges of threatening and abusive behaviour under the Communications Act at her latest court appearance in Kirkcaldy.
The charges against Jackson state that on November 24 2014, she behaved in a threatening and abusive manner likely to cause fear or alarm at her home in Buckhaven, Fife, or at the Palace of Westminster.
A second charge alleges that on the same date, also at her home or at the GCHQ in Cheltenham, she then threatened to kill Mrs May — who was in her previous role as Home Secretary at the time.
Bomb scares against two US embassies are alleged to have been emailed between December 13 2014 and January 7 2015 at her home and GCHQ, while another charge alleges that on September 14 2015, the pensioner sent an email inducing the belief that there was a bomb at Harrods in Knightsbridge, London.
A further charge alleges that Jackson sent a message to Fife Council between August 30 and September 10 2015 stating that a Susan Johnston had died and caused her annoyance, inconvenience and needless anxiety.
At the latest pre-trial hearing in Kirkcaldy, Sheriff Jamie Gilchrist heard that a number of witnesses granted anonymity orders will give evidence via CCTV from Gloucester Crown Court, although a formal letter requesting use of the court facilities will have to be sent to English authorities prior to the trial.
The court also heard that problems have arisen with two witnesses from the GCHQ, codenamed “Ben” and “Nina”, in so far as defence solicitor Peter Mullen said he was not yet in a position to agree a joint minute of agreed evidence with the Crown due to “ambiguity” about who may have physically received e-mails.
Mr Mullen said some of the statements given had been “horrifically phrased”, adding that it was unclear if the witnesses had actually received the correspondence or had received information from another party.
“It’s all about who can speak to the e-mails,” Mr Mullen noted, also confirming his intention to lodge a no case to answer submission.
Those issues should be ironed out before a further pre-trial hearing on November 29, although Sheriff Gilchrist also expressed concern about the court’s workload and the possibility of a trial in the week before Christmas.
Bail for Jackson, who appeared at court in her wheelchair, was continued and she has been excused from next week’s hearing.
