An anthrax hoaxer has been jailed for six months after pleading guilty to offensive words and threatening behaviour.

Davinia Marilyn Harvey, 35, from Bulk Head Drive, Warwick, admitted sending two letters containing baby powder which looked like anthrax, and faeces to staff at St. Brendan's Hospital in anger at being released before she felt she was ready on October 22 last year.

Fire Service and Police cordoned off the hospital when the letters, which contained threats to kill a member of staff, arrived the next day.

Prosecutor Wayne Caines called for a custodial sentence after pointing out the cost to the taxpayer of dealing with the emergency.

He pointed out that her psychologist didn't believe she had made the threats because of her illness.

He said: "It's a very serious offence and the Premier has promised anyone who does this will be dealt with to the full extent of the law.

"A clear message should be sent out that we won't bring the country to a halt for personal reasons."

And Mr. Caines said Harvey was aware of the world situation to turn it to her advantage.

Harvey, who is jobless, apologised to the court and said she had not been taking her medicine at the time of the offence while duty defence counsel Veronica Daley pointed out Harvey's clean record.

But Acting Senior Magistrate Carlisle Greaves said: "The men who flew into those towers had clean records."

To Harvey's claim that she had heard voices Mr. Greaves said: "It might be the same voices Bin Laden heard. It's a clear act by someone to terrorise society.

"Even if you are as crazy as a hatter the balance must favour the community as opposed to favouring you."

Mr. Greaves talked about ordering a social inquiry report but lost his temper when Harvey tried to change her plea to not guilty.

He said: "You are going to prison, you are too smart."