Nuisance 999 phone caller's abusive rants to Derbyshire police land him in court

An abusive 999 phone caller has been given a community order and a fine after he made seven nuisance calls to the Derbyshire police service.
Pictured is a mobile phone-user.Pictured is a mobile phone-user.
Pictured is a mobile phone-user.

Chesterfield magistrates’ court heard on January 24 how Paul Wilson, 55, of Gordon Road, Tideswell, near Buxton, made seven non-emergency calls to the Derbyshire police HQ 999 number system on December 27.

Prosecuting solicitor Neil Hollett said: “The first call was about 4.15am and he said he knew the call was not an emergency.”

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Wilson accused the operator of dismissing him unfairly and when he was advised to call the non-emergency 101 number he became abusive and argued that when the 101 operators pick up the phone they just put it down on him, according to Mr Hollett.

Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

Mr Hollett added that the operator told Wilson that unless his call was an emergency he could not help him to which Wilson said that was “disgraceful”.

During the second call, Wilson swore and claimed he was hanging himself on the stairs and he became angry about a social services issue, according to Mr Hollett, but as he continued to rant the operator terminated the call.

Mr Hollett said there was a further call three or four minutes later when Wilson was abusive and swore and said he said the situation was “disgraceful” again.

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Wilson made a further four calls one of which involved only coughing, and in another where he accused the caller of dismissing him, and another was indecipherable and there was a final call which was terminated.

Chesterfield magistrates' court.Chesterfield magistrates' court.
Chesterfield magistrates' court.

The defendant admitted making the calls and accepted they had not been emergencies and that they had been abusive.

Wilson also stated that he wanted to write a letter of apology regarding his behaviour.

The defendant pleaded guilty to persistently making use of a public electronic communications network for the purpose of causing annoyance.

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Defence solicitor Robert Sowter said: “This case involved seven short phone calls from his own mobile and these were easily detected and he gave full admissions and expressed remorse and offers an apology because he knows what he has done is wrong.”

Mr Sowter added that Wilson’s behaviour was borne out of frustration after a false allegation had been made against him but social services had continued to operate as though it was still a relevant matter.

This issue has continued to cause difficulties, according to Mr Sowter, and the defendant has been trying to get information removed from records.

Mr Sowter said: “The phone calls were about him being very frustrated and he was phoning 999 to ask for advice.”

Magistrates sentenced Wilson to a 12 month community order with a Rehabilitation Activity Requirement.

He was also fined £80 and must pay an £85 victim surcharge and £85 costs.