Drunken man’s nuisance calls

A drunken Perth man cost the public purse hundreds of pounds after making two hoax calls to the emergency services within 45 minutes of each other.

First, 43-year-old Darren Oakes made a 999 call to the Scottish Ambulance Service shortly after 9.30pm, telling them there was an unconscious man in his flat at St Catherine’s Road.

That turned out to be a wild goose chase for paramedics who searched the property and discovered he was alone in the house, Perth Sheriff Court was told.

Then, at about 10.15pm the same day, the accused made another emergency call, this time claiming there was“an ongoing fire”in a neighbour’s flat.

Firefighters were quickly on the scene but found no evidence of any smoke or flames.

“Again this was reported as a hoax call,”explained depute fiscal Tina Dickie.

Oakes was given a Community Payback Order after he admitted making the malicious calls to the Scottish Fire and Rescue and Scottish Ambulance Services, as well as the Police Service of Scotland, from his home on September 27.

At a progress review yesterday, solicitor Billy Somerville admitted that it was a“disappointing report.”

But he added:“Work is ongoing to get him back on track.”

The court heard that when paramedics arrived at the accused’s flat about 10pm following the first call, Oakes, said to have a drink problem, admitted there wasn’t anyone else there.

“Police arrived at the accused’s home address about 10.30pm and he handed officers the phone he had used to call both emergency services,”added the fiscal.

A member of the Scottish Ambulance Service estimated that a call-out fee for an ambulance was in the region of £250.

“For both hoax calls, the cost to the public services would be roughly £500,” she explained.

Mr Somerville described his client’s actions as“bizarre”and added:“It’s all because of his drinking to excess.”

The lawyer revealed that Oakes had been given six months behind bars in April last year after admitting a charge of culpable and reckless conduct at his flat.

On that occasion he launched a piece of crockery out of his open window.

It smashed on the roadway, just as a 60-year-old had been riding his motorbike along High Street about 6.45pm.

“The motorcyclist was alarmed and received such a shock and fright from the incident that he waved down a passing police car and informed them of the incident,”the court heard.

Sheriff Gillian Wade fixed a further review for April 3 after hearing Oakes was“taking positive steps to mend his ways.”

But she warned him:“You will appreciate you are running out of chances.”