Preacher denies tram bomb claim

Patrick Raphael

A RELIGIOUS preacher from Oldham sparked panic in the Manchester city centre after proclaiming a tram was going to "blow up" a court heard.

Patrick Raphael (52) was preaching outside Primark on Market Street, on a busy Saturday, using a microphone and portable loud speaker when he is accused of inciting fear by saying "if you get on the tram to Bury it will blow up" followed by "and that is the will of God".

The alleged comment was heard by three Metrolink passengers and ticket inspectors on the Market Street stop just yards away who informed police.

As a result the next Bury-bound tram, which arrived around a minute later, had to be searched for suspicious items and some passengers were too frightened to board, the court was told.

Mr Raphael was spoken to by police at the scene but was "uncooperative" and continued to shout and sing "God is great" the hearing at Manchester Magistrates court heard.

Officers say he continued to utter the phrase in the police van on his way to Central Park police station and while in his cell, for more than an hour.

He was charged with a public order offence of using words which caused harassment, alarm or distress after the incident on March 12 this year.

Mr Raphael, of Huddersfield Road, Oldham, who said he has been street preaching for 13 years, denies the charge.

However, one of the Metrolink staff told his trial he "definitely" made the comment and it left people "extremely scared".

Giving evidence, Matthew Sellars, said: "Due to the recent attacks in Paris and around the world we had to take the threat seriously.

"Market Street on a Saturday afternoon it was extremely busy and we have been trained in counter-terrorism so that was a big alert for us."

He added: "It was a scary experience.

"But he didn't seem at all bothered that people were frightened or scared at the threat he had just made."

In his police interview, played to the court, Mr Raphael said: "I'm not a religious freak. I am someone who speaks precisely."

He insisted that he in fact said: "If there was a bomb on the tram going to Bury, I would warn you and those who didn't listen would face the consequences."

He claims he used the phrase as an illustration of those who do not believe in God and had no intention to alarm anyone.

Lavine Hill, defending, suggested to the witnesses they must have misheard him due to the noise and "hustle and bustle" in the city centre at the time.

The trial will continue on October 11.