London : A 41-year-old Frenchman, who caused major disruption and evacuation of Britain’s second busiest airport, has been charged with possession of an air rifle and a knife, authorities said today. Jerome Chauris, from Vendome town, has been remanded in police custody and will appear at the Crawley Magistrates’ Court. A security source at the airport said the man was cornered as he tried to leave the North Terminal.
The North Terminal at the Gatwick airport was briefly evacuated yesterday morning after the Frenchman acted suspiciously and discarded an item in a bin at the busy transport hub. “Personal items and what appears to be a firearm were recovered and have been removed for forensic examination. However, the viability of the weapon has yet to be established,” a spokesperson said.
Detective Superintendent Nick May said, “The man is being interviewed as we try to determine the circumstances of the incident, but at this time it is too early to say what his intentions, if any, were.
However, given the events in Paris on Friday evening, there is heightened awareness and it is best that we treat the matter in all seriousness.”
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