A DANGEROUS bomb hoaxer sparked a major double explosives alert in the centre of Greenock — then calmly strolled in to a building he claimed had been targeted by terrorists.

Alexander McCullough — a five-time knife offender who is barred from contacting any woman over past crimes — told police in a phone call that a brace of devices had been planted within a homeless unit.

The 49-year-old’s spurious drink-fuelled alarm prompted an evacuation of the Inverclyde Centre on Dalrymple Street while an intensive search operation was carried out.

Police also threw a cordon around the building in the wake of McCullough’s afternoon crank call, the location of which was later pinpointed as being Glasgow’s Jamaica Street.

Prosecutor David McDonald told Greenock Sheriff Court how a Police Scotland call centre received a message from an anonymous man at 4.05pm on June 20.

The fiscal depute said: “The male stated that two bombs were within the homeless unit and then he abruptly cleared the line.

“A short time later multiple police officers arrived at the centre and evacuated the building with the street outside being cordoned off.

“All rooms were searched with no bombs being discovered.”

The court heard that McCullough — who had been staying at the Inverclyde Centre at the time — turned up there at 5.10pm after the cordon had been lifted in order access his belongings.

Mr McDonald said: “Two police witnesses needed to speak with him in relation to a separate matter.

“Mr McCullough was detained and taken to Greenock police office where he was processed in the usual manner.

“In the intervening time an audio recording of the phone call was listened to by police officers.

“Mr McCullough made an admission to being in Glasgow at the material time but denied making the call.”

The Telegraph told in March how McCullough was jailed for 29 months over another full-scale emergency services call-out.

Police, paramedics, firefighters and the coastguard dashed to Lamont’s Pier in Port Glasgow after McCullough — who had a kitchen knife with him — triggered a tense 75-minute stand-off after dialling 999.

He previously previously threatened to rape and kill a terrified mum — and shoot her family.

McCullough — who is out on licence from his jail sentence — is believed to be the only person in Scotland to whom a specific anti-social behaviour order barring any contact with females applies.

He avoided prison on a child pornography charge last year after police found a sexual abuse photo of a girl believed to be around 10 years of age on a mobile phone they seized from him.

Defence lawyer Gerry Keenan reserved comment on McCullough’s latest offence until a background report on the multiple offender has been completed.

But Mr Keenan stated: “The mitigation will be that the crime was committed whilst he was drunk.”

Sheriff Derek Hamilton deferred sentence until October 26.

McCullough remains remanded in custody over the matter.