A MAN who called 999 six times in one day, making false reports, has been given a suspended prison sentence.
Sean McDowell (26) appeared at Enniskillen Magistrates Court last Wednesday, and again on Monday, via video from Maghaberry Prison.
Last Wednesday Enniskillen Magistrates Court heard that on May 30, police received a 999 call from McDowell, who is from Curran Road in Larne. The defendant said he was in the Devenish Bar in Enniskillen, and he told police there were four men waiting outside the bar “looking to have a go at him.” Officer went to the bar but it was closed, and there was no one in the vicinity.
Police later got another 999 call from McDowell. This time he told them he was suicidal, and the officers called to where he was, fearing he may need assistance. When they found him McDowell said he wasn’t suicidal, and the officers cancelled the ambulance that had been called.
Later, the defendant called the police again, and once more told them he was suicidal. This time the officers had to force their way into McDowell’s girlfriend’s house. Yet again, he then told them he wasn’t suicidal.
McDowell made a further three 999 calls that day. He was arrested by police after his sixth call, during which he told police he’d been assaulted.
District Judge Broderick pointed out that by falsely calling the emergency services McDowell was taking them away from those who really needed them.
Defence barrister Stephen Fitzpatrick explained McDowell, who he said had difficult mental health issues, accepted his guilt and had entered an early guilty plea.
The case was adjourned on Wednesday as McDowell had previously been sentenced to eight months in prison for an unrelated matter of assault on police. As that case was before the appeal court last Thursday, Judge Broderick adjourned the matter until Monday this week as he wanted to wait to see if McDowell’s prison sentence was altered.
When the case returned on Monday the court heard this sentence had been reduced to a combination order of 100 hours community service and 12 months probation. Judge Broderick said he did not want to interfere with that combination order. As such he sentenced McDowell to five months in prison, suspended for two years.
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