Westfield and schools ‘were sent white powder in six-week terror campaign’

SCHOOLS, shopping centres and businesses were sent envelopes containing white powder in an alleged six-week terror campaign, a court has heard.

The Westfield malls in east and west London, two primary schools in Essex, DVLA headquarters in Swansea, Transport for London and a Premier Inn near Stansted airport were among the targets of the hoax campaign, it is said. Others allegedly went to branches of Vision Express, Specsavers and Costa Coffee. Prosecutors say some letters included written threats, suggesting that the white powder was deadly. Gary Preston, 63, from Haverhill in Suffolk, now faces 21 charges brought under anti-terror laws, following an investigation by the Met’s counter terrorism command.

Westminster magistrates court was told a “large number” of the letters were sent between September and November 2013.

Preston first appeared in court on March 22 and was remanded in custody in Chelmsford prison to face a jury trial at the Old Bailey today on the terrorism charges.