A PENSIONER who placed hoax bombs at a Hampshire oil terminal says he has "no regrets" about what he did to highlight his concerns about security at the complex.

Malcolm Donald, 67, a former chief petty officer with the Royal Navy, strapped on a mock suicide bomber vest and used the cover of darkness to drop off two fake devices at the BP oil terminal in Hamble.

He also made a video of what he did and posted it on a website.

The pensioner was arrested after he sent letters detailing his "investigation" to police, national newspapers and his local MP, Chris Huhne.

Donald was later convicted of two counts of placing articles with intent to cause others to think they would explode causing damage or personal injury at a trial at Southampton Crown Court. Now he has been given a nine-month jail sentence suspended for 18 months.

Judge Derwin Hope QC also ordered Donald to undergo supervised psychiatric treatment for 18 months and imposed an antisocial behaviour order on the pensioner, barring him from visiting BP's Hamble Terminal, contacting BP employees or placing any item on the Internet which supported terrorism.

He was also given a supervision order to continue psychiatric treatment for 18 months.

Speaking after the sentence Donald of Graham Road in Hamble, said: "Of course I am relieved I did not go to jail but I don't regret I did it.

"I will do exactly what I was told by the court but that does not mean I will not be writing to my MP about my concerns."

At the trial, the court heard how Donald, who had denied the charges became obsessed with security in the wake of recent terrorist attacks and the huge fire at Buncefield oil depot in Hertfordshire.

In mitigation, Catherine Farelly told the court that Donald had tried to raise his concerns in a legitimate way but became frustrated by the lack of response.

She added that the pensioner had suffered from bouts of depression and anxiety. She said: "He was trying to protect the public from potential harm as he saw it by raising his concerns in relation to the security failures as he perceived them."

Judge Hope QC told Donald that his actions would have ordinarily led to a custodial sentence but he took into account a psychiatric report into the pensioner's mental health. He ordered that Donald surrender the fake bombs and video tapes but allowed him to keep his computer and video camera.

Donald was also ordered to pay £1,900 costs.