Jefferson Azevedo (45), from Langley Road, spoke briefly at a City of Westminster Magistrates' Court hearing in London to confirm his name.

He is charged with 19 offences relating to letters that he is alleged to have sent containing white powder, racist content as well as threats.

He is also charged with planting a hoax bomb on a footbridge over the A27 at Havant in February last year.

Tests on the white powder which was found in the letters showed it to be harmless.

Following the short hearing the case was adjourned until April 24 for a committal hearing at City of Westminster Magistrates' Court when it is expected the case will be sent to the Crown Court.

Azevedo was given conditional bail.

He gave no indication of his plea to nine offences under the Anti Terrorism Crime and Security Act 2001 in relation to the letters containing white powder, nine offences under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 in relation to a series of letters with racist content, and one offence under the Criminal Law Act 1977 in relation to the planting of a hoax bomb.

The charges, which include the sending of letters to the attorney general in London, the naval base in Portsmouth and a primary school in Havant, are dated between 2003 and 2007.