A Hemlington man faces court proceedings after police charged him with a bomb hoax and several other offences in connection with an incident that saw over 20 homes evacuated. Adam Piatek, 48, of Osbourne Close, was charged by Cleveland Police with communicating false information, criminal damage, two counts of assault by beating, racially or religiously aggravated harassment, and threats to damage property.
The charges span several dates in June and July 2026. The racially or religiously aggravated harassment is alleged to have occurred on 13 June, while the bomb hoax and criminal damage relate to events on Osbourne Close on 25 June. Two assaults are said to have happened on 28 June, and a further threat to damage property on 5 July. Piatek appeared at Teesside Magistrates’ Court on Friday 10 July and was remanded in custody to appear at Teesside Crown Court on 7 August.
The 25 June incident began around 7:30am when police received reports of a man barricaded inside a property and making threats. A cordon was placed over the cul-de-sac near Hemlington Lake, and more than 20 homes were evacuated as negotiations stretched into a 16-hour armed standoff. Superintendent Paul Allen, speaking from the scene that afternoon, said the priority was bringing the incident to a safe conclusion. Middlesbrough Council opened a rest centre at Hemlington Library for displaced residents, and a bomb disposal unit deployed as a precautionary measure. The man was detained safely and arrested late that evening.
Detective Chief Superintendent Caroline McGlade confirmed the arrest soon after the standoff ended. The eventual charges reflect offending police allege happened both before and after the evacuation, underscoring a wider pattern of behaviour rather than a single isolated event.
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