A MAN arrested on suspicion of sparking an armed siege will not face any charges.
Police closed Beverley Road for more than two hours after a hoax call claiming a man was threatening a woman with a gun in a block of flats.
Armed officers, police dogs and the Humberside Police helicopter were deployed to the area after the hoax on April 18, which is estimated to have cost tens of thousands of pounds.
The man was arrested and released on bail days after the hoax and returned to Clough Road police station yesterday.
A spokesman for Humberside Police said: "The decision has been taken not to proceed with this case on the basis of there being insufficient evidence."
Police had been called at 8.30pm by someone claiming that a man was threatening to kill a woman inside a block of flats in St Leonard's Close.
Armed officers searched every room inside the flats, but could not find the victim, the offender or the caller.
After locating the apparent victim at 10.45pm, it was confirmed the call was a hoax and police left the scene.
Dozens of diners were locked in the Raj Pavilion restaurant during the stand-off.
Chief Inspector Ed Cook later said the hoax had led to a "significant" amount of police resources being deployed and warned people not to make hoax calls.
He said: "It turns out that nobody was ever at risk and no firearm was ever present, however police have to take threats like this seriously until proven otherwise.
"A thorough investigation will commence into the source of the hoax call given the fear it caused to the general public and the significant amount of police resources used.
"Making hoax calls like this and wasting police time is a serious offence that can lead to a prison sentence."
One Mail reader commenting online following the siege said: "Just hope that when the police catch the hoaxer, he's treated with the contempt he deserves. This operation must have cost thousands and thousands."
Daniel Cuffe, 20, was looking after his six-month-old daughter when police burst into the block of flats where he lives.
He said: "There were all these police officers and they raided every room, but there was nobody there.
"It's a good job my daughter isn't older because she would have been frightened."
