Man jailed over bogus bomb detector McCann scam

A judge has described the fake bomb detectors produced by a couple from Bedfordshire as "almost akin to something out of Alice in Wonderland".

The instruction manuals that accompanied Sam and Joan Tree's products claimed the user's own static electricity would power the aerial to move if it detected the substance it was searching for.

In reality, the boxes, known as Alpha 6, were made from plastic, with a strapped-on aerial on top and torn-up pieces of paper inside.

In passing sentence, Judge Richard Marks QC told the pair: "The aerial would point to the vicinity or direction of the objects or person being looked at.

"One only has to look at the facts to see this as a bizarre and fantastic proposition as to be almost akin to something out of Alice in Wonderland."

A British couple were sentenced today after their fake devices - which they claimed could detect bombs, drugs and people - were sold to police and security services around the world.

The contraptions, which turned out to be simply be plastic boxes with antennas strapped on to them, were made at their Bedfordshire home and sold on for between $500 and $1000 each.

Sam Tree, 68, has been jailed for three-and-a-half years at London's Kingston Crown Court for making bogus bomb detectors.

His wife, Joan Tree, 62, was handed a two-year suspended prison sentence and ordered to carry out 300 hours of unpaid work in the community for her role in the scam.

The couple made and sold the devices, which they claimed could be used to find missing Madeleine McCann.