scare.

Someone called Senior Magistrate the Wor. Will Francis' line just before plea court was to begin at 10 a.m. and told a clerk there was a bomb inside the building.

Lawyers, defendants, and Mr. Francis himself were cleared from the courthouse at Court and Reid streets for close to an hour, and traffic was diverted by Police.

"An investigation is under way to establish the identity of the caller,'' Police spokesman Sgt. Roseanda Jones said.

Accompanied by court administrator Mr. Tracey Kelly, "an emergency team went in and they did a thorough search of the premises,'' Chief Insp. Larry Smith told The Royal Gazette .

"As they cleared and secured most areas they allowed staff to return to those areas for normal business.'' Nothing was found.

Mr. Francis, who could not begin the morning's plea court until 11 a.m., said the bomb scare was a first for Magistrates' Court in his experience.

One of the clerks in his office answered the phone, and "it seems the call was from a pay phone,'' he said.

"They said that there was a bomb in the building and that we should all get out, or words to that effect.'' Mr. Francis said he hoped Police would be able to trace the call. "If that person is found, I think they should be dealt with very harshly,'' he said.

"I would certainly not want people to play the fool with the courts. It amounts to some sort of contempt of court.'' Sgt. Jones said the Police explosive ordnance disposal unit was called to search the courthouse. The Bermuda Fire Service also stood by.

BOMB SCARE -- Traffic on Reid Street was badly snarled yesterday after Police cleared Magistrates' Court and blocked off the building in response to a bomb alert.