Nuisance 999 caller who made threats to kill is jailed

Joshua Harris, 31, of Beccles Road, Burgh St Peter, near Beccles, appeared at Ipswich Crown Court today via video link to be sentenced for his "campaign" of more than 3,000 hoax and nuisance calls over two years.

The court heard how Harris' calls were abusive and threatening and often referred to bombing and terrorism.

The calls, which were made from his home landline and mobile phone, began in July 2017 and by the end of June 2018, more than 3,000 had been made to police.

Further nuisance calls were made on August 16, 2018, between October 19 and 20, 2018, between March 12 and 15, 2019, and on March 20 and 22, 2019.

During the March calls, he admitted to "loving terrorism" and told police control room staff that "he couldn't wait to blow you lot up", the court heard.

Prosecutor Michael Crimp told the court that in March, Harris was given a criminal behaviour order in an attempt to stop the nuisance calling but 73 further calls were made between April 14 and April 25.

He pleaded guilty at Great Yarmouth Magistrates' Court on July 3.

Judge Rupert Overbury jailed Harris for 26 months for breaching the criminal behaviour order and making the nuisance calls.

Sentencing Harris on Friday, Judge Overbury said: "Criminal behaviour orders are designed to prevent anti-social behaviour and/or criminal behaviour.

"For nearly two years, you persistently wasted police time by making nuisance 999 calls.

"The majority of which were abusive, threatening and referred to bomb threats and threats to kill.

"The majority were highly offensive.

"You made over 3,000 calls in nearly two years, with the longest call nearly an hour.

"You were made subject of a criminal behaviour order in March, which you completely ignored in April when you made 73 calls in three hours.

"You continued this campaign of nuisance calls, wasting police time."

Harris' sentence had previously been adjourned from October 4 to allow him to apply for legal representation.