A WEST Midlands policeman who sparked a nationwide terror alert by claiming terrorists were going to kidnap a fellow officer has been sentenced to two further years in jail.

Police office Amar Tasaddiq Hussain, 29 – whose force covers areas of Bromsgrove – made the false claims in December 2014 alongside two accomplices.

They claimed a Muslim officer with the West Midlands force would be kidnapped by someone with links to the so-called Islamic State.

Hussain was a serving West Midlands police constable at the time, and was sentenced to seven years in prison by Stafford Crown Court in May.

Two other Birmingham men, Adil Bashir, 26, and 31-year-old Muhammed Ali Sheikh, were convicted of the same charges of conspiring to pervert the course of justice and were originally each sentenced to three years in prison.

The false claims led to West Midlands Police having to implement a force-wide plan to safeguard the health and safety of their officers and families.

However, Attorney General Jeremy Wright QC MP referred these sentences to the Court of Appeal under the Unduly Lenient Sentence scheme, as he believed the original sentences should be replaced with longer terms.

Today (Thursday, September 29), the court agreed and increased the sentence of Hussain to nine years’ imprisonment and the sentences of both Bashir and Sheikh to five years in jail.

Speaking after the hearing, the Attorney General said: "This hoax sparked a huge police response, coming at a time when the national terrorism threat level was severe.

"It had a negative effect on all West Midlands employees and their families, causing a great deal of fear and anxiety.

"I’m pleased the court has agreed this trio should spend longer in prison for their actions."

West Midlands Police Assistant Chief Constable Marcus Beale said: "The actions of Amar Tasaddiq Hussain and others were absolutely deplorable.

"In particular Hussain - who was a serving police officer at the time - he not only let down officers and employees of West Midlands Police but also the people of the West Midlands.

"I welcome these extended sentences for Hussain, Bashir and Sheikh."