Pensioner swore at GP staff and called one a ‘slag’
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A FOUL-MOUTHED pensioner made 38 grossly offensive phone calls to female receptionists at his GP surgery – calling one of them a “slag”.
Harry Brown, 74, of Trinity Street, Huddersfield, is said to have made 38 calls to the University Health Centre, Aspley between February 3 and April 10 last year – at the height of the pandemic when health services were badly stretched.
Ben Crosland, prosecuting, said the defendant who pleaded not guilty to the charge, was alcohol-dependent and often appeared to be drunk when he made the calls, slurring his words.
Giving evidence at a trial at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court, the senior receptionist, Karen Bolton, said: “He was swearing at us telling us to p*** off or f*** off, saying he didn’t like us. It was not very nice.”
Mr Crosland asked her: “How did you feel having to field these calls from Mr Brown?”
Ms Bolton: “It was frustrating and was taking up a lot of our time when he didn’t have a medical complaint or needed to speak to a doctor. His speech was slurred. He would insult you personally, it was very demeaning. He said he hated me.”
Mr Crosland: “He has called staff slags and nitwits. Has he called you a slag?”
Ms Bolton: “Yes.”
Mr Crosland: “How did you feel about that?”
Ms Bolton: “Distressed, angry, you know.”
Mr Crosland: Did you try to persuade him not to make these calls?
Ms Bolton: “Yes. We wrote to him warning him not to make these calls.”
She added that he was struggling on his own and when sober would be polite saying that sometimes he would ring back and apologise for his behaviour.
Mr Crosland played a tape to the bench of another receptionist phoning the police with details of the abuse during which the drunken defendant rang on another line resulting in her putting him on loudspeaker so the officer could hear what he was saying.
Giving evidence Brown, who was legally represented throughout the hearing, denied he had been abusive and said he had not called anyone a slag or nitwit.
After deliberating the chairman of the bench, John Webster, said they had found the defendant guilty.
Mr Crosland said he had an extensive criminal record dating back to the 1960s and had been convicted of similar-type behaviour to the ambulance service in 2016 and 2018 when he had been given a suspended sentence later varied to a community order.
The case was adjourned until May 27 so a probation report can be carried out.
Brown was released on conditional bail and told not to contact the health centre or any other emergency service unless it was a genuine emergency.
We wrote to him warning him not to make these calls.