Persistent police caller handed suspended sentence

Londonderry Magistrates' Court heard that Tracey McKay was the highest user of the 101 system over a six-month period

A woman who persistently called the non-emergency police phone line, once to tell them about a holiday to Spain, has been given a suspended sentence.

Tracey McKay, 48, of Fern Park in Londonderry appeared charged with persistent abuse of the communication network.

The offences occurred on dates between January 10 and April 20 this year.

Londonderry Magistrates' Court heard that McKay was the highest user of the 101 system over a six-month period.

Examples were given to the court of her abuse of the system and it was said that in April she made 20 calls to the 101 line.

On April 1 she called to tell call handlers that she had just come back from Benidorm and had future holidays planned.

On another occasion she called to request that police arrest her as scaffolding at her home was "doing her head in".

On another occasion on April 17, she called the 101 line to wish the handlers a happy Easter.

'No malicious intent'

Defence solicitor Cormac McKeone described the calls as "unwarranted", but said there was "no malicious intent" behind them.

He said that his client knew that she had put her liberty at risk with the calls.

Deputy District Judge Liam McStay said it was "a very sad case", but said McKay was clogging up the system and there could be genuine police matters that needed attending to while she was on the line.

The judge sentenced her to three months in prison, suspended for 12 months.