A homeless man who caused fear and disruption at a Folkestone hotel by making a bomb hoax has walked free after a judge decided to take an exceptional course.

Judge Philip St John-Stevens told Allen Pilson: “I am persuaded this is a rare case. The public would be protected by you having further support and becoming a useful member of society.”

Maidstone Crown Court heard the 48-year-old former chef resorted to drink and drugs after his wife and child were killed in an accident in Sweden.

Using a Middle Eastern accent he called 999 and warned a bomb had been planted at the Grand Burstin Hotel in Marine Parade on July 31 last year and said it would go off in 12 minutes.

He became increasingly irate and then stated the bomb would explode in four minutes. An extensive search was carried out but nothing was found.

Pilson was arrested after it emerged he had earlier been asked to leave the hotel grounds while holding a black bag.

CCTV in the area was checked and he was captured using a public telephone kiosk where the call was made from.

Pilson,now of Highland Close, Folkestone, denied communicating false information with intent but was convicted at Canterbury Crown Court.

Gary Wyatt, defending, said when Pilson appeared for sentence at Maidstone Crown Court he had been taken in and looked after by town resident David Smith after finding him “near to death”.

Mr Smith became emotional as he told the court: “I have known him since November last year. As a Christian, I met him one day and God said to me he needs a friend.

“I offered him money and a place to stay and took him in. He lived with us. Before that he was living in a tent. He was ill with pneumonia. When I first met him he was drinking up to 100 units a day.”

Asked if Pilson would be able to live with him if spared jail, Mr Smith said: “It is a big responsibility. It is about overcoming his addiction. That is the over-arching problem. He needs more help than I can give him.”

Mr Smith agreed to Pilson living at his home after the judge indicated he wanted to impose a tagged curfew for four months.

Suspending 10 months imprisonment for two years with supervision and 60 hours unpaid work, Judge St John-Stevens said the hoax was “an extraordinarily serious offence”.