Man who made 90 hoax calls to ambulance service during pandemic avoids prison

A man who made up to 90 nuisance calls for ambulances from phone boxes across Belfast has avoided prison.
Belfast Magistrates’ CourtBelfast Magistrates’ Court
Belfast Magistrates’ Court

Prosecutors said Gareth Nixon ignored warnings to stop unnecessarily contacting the emergency services during the Covid-19 pandemic.

The 45-year-old was given a five-month suspended sentence after a judge was told none of the calls were malicious.

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Nixon, of University Street in the city, was convicted of three counts of persistent improper use of a public electronic communications network.

The offences were committed between January 10 and May 14 this year.

Belfast Magistrates’ Court heard the Northern Ireland Ambulance Service alerted police in late April about Nixon, a “frequent problem caller”.

By that stage he had made 69 calls from public phone boxes around the city.

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“At no time were any a genuine medical emergency,” a Crown lawyer said.

“He (Nixon) was spoken to and warned about his future behaviour, and the difficulties it was causing at this specific time.”

Despite this, another 21 calls were made.

In one incident he used a phone box on the Ormeau Road to request an ambulance, claiming he was suffering chest pains and shortness of breath.

Nixon was arrested after he again made a call from the same location a day later.

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Paradmedics had gone to the scene and established he did not require urgent treatment.

He told police that he was having suicidal thoughts and may have overdosed on Paracetamol.

District Judge Fiona Bagnall was told Nixon has been diagnosed with paranoid schizophrenia.

A defence solicitor said he has had a “traumatic life”, with his behaviour linked to a change in medication and an attack at his hostel.

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“It does seem to stem from his mental health, none of these incidents were done out of malice,” the lawyer added.

Imposing five months imprisonment, suspended for 18 months, Mrs Bagnall stressed: “He needs to get linked in with psychiatric services as soon as possible.”