An elderly businessman accused of placing a fake bomb in a bank to extort money has claimed it was just “a crazy, silly affair”.

Reginald Esqulant denied wanting any money from Santander in Sevenoaks High Street and said he only wanted to talk to the manager over “threatening letters” and phone calls from the bank’s mortgage department.

“I went into Sevenoaks and it turned into this crazy, silly affair,” he told the jury of eight women and four men.

“I had this silly notion. I just wanted to get the manager and say ‘How do you like getting threatening letters?’”

The 73-year-old married father, of Fawkham Road, West Kingsdown, admits making the bomb hoax but denies blackmail, taking a car without authority and driving while disqualified.

Esqulant, who is well known for running pubs in Sevenoaks, is alleged to have made the demand because he was heavily in debt.

The bank and surrounding area was evacuated after Esqulant handed over a letter in which he threatened to explode the device if the cash was not paid.

He said the bank had made threats about a missing monthly mortgage payment of £2,196 by his wife of nine years for their four bedroom bungalow in Lenham.

Prosecutor Jennifer Oborne said Esqulant was in serious debt and faced a demand at the time from HM Revenue and Customs for over £106,162.

Wearing one latex glove, Esqulant went to the High Street bank on February 8 this year and passed the letter in an envelope to cashier Patricia Booth in the reception area and asked for it to be given to the manager.

He left the bank after he tried to light a cigarette and was told he could not smoke in the building.

Miss Oborne said Esqulant had written the letter in the bank. The money was to be left in an empty butchers shop in an alleyway called The Shambles.

Staff were initially not sure what to make of it but then saw that a brown box had been left in the reception area.

The Army was brought in and the package was examined and destroyed.

Esqulant said in evidence he went to the bank by public transport because he could not make any progress by phoning.

“As I was walking around Sevenoaks I was dwelling on the fact they had been on the phone again and sent letters,” he said. “I picked up some boxes and walked into the bank.

“I wrote the note and handed it to the lady. I didn’t disguise myself. People know me around the town. I waited for the manager to come out.

“I wanted to say to him: ‘How do you like getting threatening letters?’ I lit a cigarette. The lady said: ‘Take your cigarette outside please.’

“I left the box beside me. I took the cigarette outside. I just didn’t think. While outside I heard shouting and noise. I thought Christ almighty what have done?

“The police all know me. I thought best to wait until they came to my home and I could explain what I have done. I walked home.”

Esqulant said he had put one of the gloves on to pick up the boxes.

Asked by his lawyer if he handed over the letter to get money from the bank, he replied: “It never entered my head. Even at this minute I don’t think I did anything illegal.”

He also denied taking David Martin’s VW car and driving it that day while disqualified.

The trial continues.