Man sentenced for wasting police time
Submitted: 16/02/2009 17:14:27
A man appeared at Woking Magistrates Court on Friday, 6 February where he was sentenced to 16 weeks for wasting police time and sending false messages to cause annoyance.
Brian Cousins, 55 years from Bracknell Road, Old Dean, Camberley pleaded not guilty to the two offences but was found guilty and convicted on both counts. Cousins was given a 16 week concurrent sentence.
At the beginning of January this year, Cousins made repeated calls to Surrey Police’s emergency service for non emergency matters. The calls made out he was in need of medical treatment or that he was suicidal and on another occasion he said his wife was kicking him out and he needed help. He even phoned the 999 service reporting that he was cold and needed help in the middle of the Old Dean Common in Camberley. While the police helicopter was searching for Mr Cousins a genuine incident involving a distraction burglary was occurring in a different part of Surrey which meant that the helicopter was unable to attend. Each time officers have responded to Mr Cousins they have found that there is no genuine emergency situation.
DS Mark Brindley said: “Surrey Police has a duty of care to respond to a 999 call in a professional manner but abusing our system and wasting police time is a very serious offence and we won’t hesitate to take robust action to bring offenders to justice. Mr Cousins is an attention seeker and his repeated calls are a drain on our resources and we won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour. “
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