A serial Angus 999 hoaxer has been jailed for 18 months.
Over what a sheriff described as a sustained two-year period of offending, Donna Morrell made numerous silent phone calls to police control room operators, despite also being on a string of mounting bail orders as the tally of offences grew.
Morrell, of North Grimsby, Arbroath, appeared before Sheriff Gregor Murray at Forfar having been on remand since February in connection with the matters.
She had been the subject of a number of criminal justice and psychiatric assessments, but Sheriff Murray said the court was now in full possession of a range of reports aimed at assisting Morrell and it was clear that her behaviour merited custody.
Morrell’s offences included a spate of silent 999 calls to police over less than a fortnight around the end of May last year, when she was subject to six bail orders.
She made the calls from public phone boxes in various parts of Arbroath, repeatedly telling control room staff that there was an ongoing emergency which required urgent police action.
Morrell also admitted posting offensive cardboard signs about her former partner in Arbroath and repeatedly sending him abusive and menacing text messages.
Sheriff Murray told the 41-year-old: “Had their been something new within these then the court would have bent over backwards to help you.
“You have indulged in a sustained period of offending involving 18 offences over two years.”
The sheriff continued: “You have been on supervision and have been offered assistance by medical professionals.
“You have taken no heed.”
“You were the person responsible for all of the offences, you must have caused considerable distress and perhaps deprived other people of accessing emergency services,” said Sheriff Murray.