A Penrith woman who made a host of nuisance 999 calls over the course of several days has been given a conditional discharge.
Barbara Crisall, 55, of Griffin Yard, Corn Market, appeared at Carlisle Magistrates’ Court this morning.
Prosecutor Diane Jackson told how Crisall had made 18 separate 999 phone calls between 20th and 23rd April last year, saying: “None of the calls were found to be an emergency.” The prosecutor added: “That has blocked genuine emergencies.”
Some police officers who answered calls reported Crisall to be shouting and distressed, unintelligible and incoherent.
She was told that any genuine enquiries which were not emergencies should be directed to the police’s 101 number.
But the 999 calls continued, with Crisall making a number of unfounded allegations.
When arrested, she told an officer she could not remember making the calls.
Crisall — a woman with no previous convictions — was brought to court and pleaded guilty to one charge of persistently making use of a public communication network to cause annoyance/inconvenience/anxiety.
When asked by a legal advisor during a sentencing hearing whether she understood the significant and importance of the police, Crisall replied: “Yes.”
Magistrates considered a detailed pre-sentence report which had been prepared by a probation service officer.
Crisall was given a 12-month conditional discharge, which means that there will be no punishment for her provided she stays out of trouble during the next year.
