The Chatham man accused of sending a fake bomb to the makers of the Covid vaccine had sent a packet to Kent Police in 2018.

A jury heard how it contained a toy police car and a DVD of 1960s' popular cop show Dixon Of Dock Green.

Anthony Collins, 54, was arrested after the packet, which contained the name of the Kent Chief Constable Alan Pughsley and Police and Crime Commissioner Matthew Scott, was intercepted.

Collins was quizzed by officers and claimed he had an interest in police forces all around the world.

He included newspaper articles and told officers that in 1984 when PC Yvonne Fletcher was murdered outside the Libyan Embassy he wrote to encourage the chief constable to reopen the investigation and bring her killer – "that evil *******" – to justice.

The jury heard that he was not charged and released.

Collins, of Chatham Hill, Chatham, is on trial at Maidstone Crown Court accused of one count of posting an article with the intention of inducing the belief it is likely to explode or ignite contrary to the 1977 Act.

He was arrested and when questioned he told police: "I have a long history of telling the truth. I did send the package including a scientific calculator, £1 torch and gloves all from Poundland.

"I walked up Luton Road to post it and then I went shopping at Tescos. I also cut out pictures of a nurse and posted it.

"I also wrote: 'I am a unique person... we are all unique in our own way.' I wrote it to help the government."

Collins added he also wrote: "Other people can affect your life" and admitted he wrote many letters including to number 10 Downing Street.

He said that he included gloves "because they were handling chemicals" and the torch "in case they had to work in the dark" and the scientific calculator to help scientists.

He said he read about Wockhardt manufacturing the Covid vaccine and discovered the Wrexham address of the factory.

Collins said he wrote "Heddlu" on the package after finding out it is the North Welsh Police telling officers: "You don't have to be a rocket scientist to know that".

But he denied making the bomb hoax, adding: "No-one goes around sending packages which include their name and address. No-one is mad enough to do that.

"I did it to help people."

He told officers: "I wanted to be a police officer and I have a personal interest in American cops. That's why I included a photograph of American police and a toy police car in the package to Kent Police.

'I should have received six months or a year in prison. I was astounded that I didn't...'

"I should have been charged and caused a tremendous amount of disruption. I should have received six months or a year in prison. I was astounded that I didn't. There should have been some retribution."

He said he was aware that police headquarters were evacuated and it had caused a lot of disruption.

"I was dumbfounded. I have this serious problem with writing letters. I should have been charged."

He added that his letter writing had got out of control.

He also sent a package to North Korean leader Kim Jong-Un which included a greeting card with the words "goodbye" and an NHS patient survey in his own name.

'I had come across an article in the Sun about Wockhardt and hoped they would be able to speed up finding a cure...

Collins also told the jury that when he sent the package he did not intend for anyone to believe it was a bomb.

He also said he spent the year reading articles on Covid – which he called "an evil disease".

"I had come across an article in the Sun about Wockhardt and hoped they would be able to speed up finding a cure."

He said he had been writing letters since he was a teenager and believed it was his destiny to write letters.

"It's like Michael Caine being an actor and not a politician... It was his destiny and mine is writing letters. I have his compulsion to write letters... It's my destiny. That's my belief.

"I wanted the people in Wales to use medical science to defeat the disease."

Collins said it was "scandalous" that footballers earned £600,000 a week while doctors and nurses were working hard to treat victims of Covid.

He added that he wrote on the package that people can be affected by "someone they didn't know".

Shortly after telling that to the jury, Judge David Griffith-Jones QC twice halted the trial when his laptop computer suddenly stopped working.

The hearing was resumed 15 minutes later after the judge said that the "disaster" he feared fortunately had not materialised, adding "fingers crossed."

'I also sent them a pair of gloves because I knew they handled chemicals and may need gloves...'

Collins added he sent articles, including one from a scientific book dumped in the street, hoping it would help the scientists.

"I also sent them a pair of gloves because I knew they handled chemicals and may need gloves. He also sent a cheap scientific calculator. I didn't understand any of the symbols but I knew that in (the factory) they would.

"I didn't think I had done anything wrong because in the letter I explained that I wanted to do something good.

"I wasn't thinking at that moment about the earlier incident involving Kent Police," he added.

He wrote to 10 Downing Street and included a magnifying glass so "they could read better" and a DVD copy of the film called "Plague" about the escape of a virus..."I was hoping it might give them tips".

Collins also sent the government a congratulations card for the efforts they had made during the crisis, adding "From the bottom of my heart".

He also included a BBC history magazine about medicine.

Collins was asked by the judge who he thought was responsible for Covid outbreak.

He replied:"It's just my personal point of view , which I am entitled to, is that the Chinese government know something but they are not telling."

He said he sent a packet to the Wuhan technicians because "I was so angry", adding: "They think we are all stupid and I wanted them to tell the world. I thought it was sinister that they weren't saying anything about the leak."

'I know it sounds a little mad but I believe they have a cure and I wanted them to tell us.'

In the letter he also included a torch, a thermometer, an NHS booklet and an information pamphlet on how to use the thermometer.

That prompted the Judge to retort: "It was probably made in China."

"I know it sounds a little mad but I believe they have a cure and I wanted them to tell us," said Collins.

He told the jury he sent a package to North Korea because he believed they were colluding with the Chinese.

The case continues.

To read more of our in depth coverage of all of the major trials coming out of crown and magistrates' courts across the county, click here.

For information on how we can report on court proceedings, click here.

Read more: All the latest news from Medway