Man denies letter bomb campaign

Miles Cooper, 27, from Cambridge, was told at Oxford Crown Court that he is likely to stand trial in September.

It is alleged that Cooper, who was remanded into custody, sent a series of letter bombs in January and February this year to addresses across Britain, injuring eight people.

Cooper denies eight counts of causing harm to people with explosives, two of intending to cause harm and one of making an explosive substance.

He pleaded not guilty to using an explosive substance in January to "maim or disable" Michelle Evans at an animal science laboratory in Abingdon, Oxfordshire, contrary to section 28 of The Offences Against The Person Act 1861.

He also denies, under section 29 of that act, sending an explosive substance with intent to harm in Abingdon and a further like charge concerning another laboratory in Birmingham.

In February, Cooper is said to have caused bodily harm, contrary to section 28 of the 1861 act, to Michael Wingfield and to Rosemary Wingfield, at a residential address in Folkestone, Kent.

Count six, the same offence, concerns alleged victim Maja Kurowald at the offices of Capita, which runs London's congestion charging system, on February 5. Cooper, in a like offence, is said to have harmed Richard Gorringe, at an accountancy firm in Wokingham, Berkshire, linked to a traffic enforcement company.

Karen Andrews was allegedly caused harm on February 7 after opening a letter at the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Agency in Swansea, resulting in count eight, charged under the same section of the 1861 act. On that day Jean Porter was also allegedly hurt, as was Christopher Phillips, say the Crown - counts nine and 10.

The 11th count, which Cooper also denies, is that of making or possession an explosive substance on February 1.