A WOMAN with a history of making nuisance 999 calls admitted making another three while she was on bail.

Christina Allcock, who admitted making three silent calls to the emergency number while waiting for a bus last night (Monday, January 28), was remanded in custody by magistrates today (Tuesday, January 29) amid fears she would repeat the offence if released.

The 23-year-old, of Headlam Court, Stockton-on-Tees, was arrested by police after she was caught on CCTV making the calls from Norton Road, Stockton. She was arrested at the nearby bus stop.

As she pleaded guilty before Teesside Magistrates Court it emerged she had 12 previous convictions for similar offences and had appeared in court just the day before for a similar offence.

Lynne Roberts-Plowman, prosecuting, said: “Police received three silent 999 calls, all from a telephone kiosk in Stockton.

“She was found in the bus stop. She was asked if she had made the calls and she said she had attended a youth club meeting at Connexions nearby and while waiting for the bus made three nuisance calls.

“She was asked why and she had no legitimate reason. When asked she said she didn’t know.

“This was the third offence in a matter of days. All of her previous convictions bar one relate to nuisance phone calls, the majority of the 999 variety.”

In mitigation, Denis Chisman said: “It is self-evident when you look at the defendant that there are issues here.

“When she appeared before the court yesterday a representative from MIND, the mental health charity, was at the back of the court and approached me and addressed District Judge Walker about the condition of the defendant and the awareness that the appropriate agencies have of her and how they are trying to help her.”

He said that a support social worker visited Miss Allcock morning and night to ensure she had got up and ate at the appropriate times because she could not tell the time.

“There has to be a degree of sympathy when you are dealing with an individual with such limited resources,” he said. “The worst place she could be is in a custodial establishment.

“It isn’t going to stop her committing any further offences.”

However, magistrates remanded her in custody until she is sentenced on February 8, saying they feared she would commit further offences if they let her out on bail again.

[ends]