A DENTIST has been given a restraining order after being brought to court accused of persistently ringing a mental health crisis line.

George David Bell was due to face trial at South Cumbria Magistrates' Court accused of consistently making use of a public communication network for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to another.

After pleading not guilty to the offence, Mr Bell was due to face a two-day trial.

But charges were dropped by the Crown Prosecution Service after no evidence was offered.

Mr Bell, 54, of Hogue Street, Walney, was instead served with restraining order by the court.

Providing background to the restraining order application, prosecutor Lee Dacre told the court Mr Bell had repeatedly called the ALIS/Mental Health Crisis Team hotline to express 'frustration and annoyance'.

Mr Bell, who previously worked as dental practices in Barrow and Grange, told the court he had been unhappy about previously being sectioned at the Dane Garth mental health unit in Barrow.

He said post-traumatic stress disorder and speech disorder called cluttering had led to doctors misdiagnosing him with bipolar.

Magistrates gave Mr Bell a restraining order preventing him from contacting a number of people unless in the case of a genuine medical emergency.

These are Bob Bond, Dr Jeelani, Dr Amin, Ruth Higgins, Paul Carris, Nicola Jones, Rachel Warwick, Dawn Wilson, Zoe Clark, Carol Lichtblau, Clair Attard and Julie Greenwood.