Bassetlaw boozer abused 999 call-handlers with barrage of calls when "bladdered"

Glyn James rang the emergency number 119 times between March 13 and April 11, prosecutor Becky Allsop told Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

A control room supervisor listened to "a portion of the calls" in which the 59-year-old called staff obscene names and complained that his ex-partner had been stealing things from his shed.

"In 17 years of working in the control room he'd never listened to so many unpleasant and abusive calls," Ms Allsop said.

On March 25 he told staff he planned to take his own life, but when an officer arrived at his home in Ordsall, he told her he didn't know anything about it.

"He phoned the next day and the next," said Ms Allsop. "He made a further threat to his own life and the officer was sent out again.

"He offered her a cup of tea and was very pleasant. The following day in drink he called the police again and was abusive."

His calls would last anything from five or ten minutes and up to half an hour each. James told police officers he would call when he was "bladdered," and accepted that the words used "were the sort of thing he would say."

The court heard staff were “impacted” by his calls and James prevented them from dealing with genuine emergencies.

Vicky Clarson, mitigating, said James had kept out of trouble since 2016.

"The trigger for his downward spiral was the breakdown of his 42-year marriage in November, last year," she said. "He accepts he's had an alcohol problem for 20 years and it deteriorated significantly. He was drinking about 30 pints a day and has cut it down to about eight."

Ms Clarson said James had sought help with Change Grow Live, and now did gardening work at Idle Valley nature reserve.

"He is embarrassed and ashamed," she said. "He knows his behaviour has caused anxiety and upset. There has been no repetition."

James, of The Oval, Ordsall, Retford, pleaded guilty to sending offensive communications.

Magistrates handed him ten weeks in prison, suspended for 18 months, with ten days of rehabilitation.

Editor’s message: In these confusing and worrying times, local journalism is more vital than ever. Thanks to everyone who helps us ask the questions that matter by taking out a subscription or buying a paper. We stand together.