Published at 16:52, Thursday, 18 October 2012

A SERIAL crank caller who made hoax 999 calls while drunk has been jailed for the offence – again.

Michael Alfred Shepherd made hoax calls to the ambulance service on September 29 and October 2.

On both occasions, the 35-year-old drank to excess and had no medical problems.

He was jailed for 120 days when he appeared before Furness Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, where he admitted two counts of making a false message to cause
annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety.

Shepherd, of Egerton Court, Barrow, was found guilty of the same offence in August when the court heard he made 25 calls to the ambulance service from January 14 to April 6.

On one of those occasions he said he had been “bitten by a vampire” and was jailed for 168 days. On Tuesday, Mrs Lisa Hine, prosecuting, said Shepherd called 999 and requested the ambulance service for a “sore knee” on September 29.

He was drunk, with cider and lager bottles on his floor, and told officers he had been on a “legendary session”.

Mrs Hine said he was verbally abusive towards officers and had to be warned several times to stop swearing.

He said to police: ‘I’m going to prison for this. I drink too much – it’s probably best for me.”

On October 2, Shepherd again rang 999 and, despite a warning, called twice more.

He said he was coughing up blood and needed an ambulance.

Police attended and again found him drunk. The floor was covered in empty lager bottles and Shepherd was still drinking from a half-full one

Mr Andrew Gibson, defending, told the court: “He’s brought his bag with him today – he knows he’s going to prison. He’s trying very hard to control his drinking.

These two incidents, he has no recollection of them whatsoever, except for waking up in the cells.

“He’s very concerned that if he goes on behaving this way he will lose his flat.

“Since his release from prison last time, he’s made a real effort and today is the first time he’s ever attended court sober.”

District Judge Gerald Chalk told Shepherd: “You have a history of making these type of calls and are a real, persistent nuisance to the general public.

“You are undermining the whole 999 service.”

A North West Ambulance Service spokeswoman says it costs an average of £200 for each hoax call out the service attends.

Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk