A Fife man who made repeated nuisance 999 calls demanded to be put through to MI6 to “make a report to Boris Johnson about Nicola Sturgeon”.
Andrew Dean, who a sheriff said has a “history of violence”, called the emergency line 14 times over several days in August and October, as well as the non-emergency 101 number.
The 61-year-old threatened to make bombs, shoot people and said he could kill the Queen.
At Dunfermline Sheriff Court he was jailed for six months for what a sheriff described as “serious offences” that potentially deprived others of emergency resources.
First flurry of calls
Fiscal depute Eve McKaig said the first calls were made on August 28.
“At 11.33pm the accused contacted 999 and asked the operator to be put through to MI6 as he would like to make a report to Boris Johnson directly about Nicola Sturgeon.
“The accused stated he was part of the SAS and wanted to speak to MI6 and Special Branch.
“He became more obstructive and was going round in circles so the service advisor disconnected the call.
“At 11.37pm the accused made a further call to 999 demanding police attend his home.
“He made demands to talk to MI5, MI6 and the SAS again, stating he could call anyone he wanted, including the Queen.”
The line was disconnected, with the call handler warning Dean against making nuisance calls but he called repeatedly in the following minutes.
“At 11.41pm the accused stated he wished police to arrest him as he was going to cause havoc, he was going to kill someone and proceeded to make threats to bomb.
“He made further bomb threats and said he could kill the Queen.”
‘I’m SAS – you check with MI5’
Dean made further calls the following day, including one in which he said he would “annihilate” people and stating he had guns.
In contact made on October 14, he again demanded to speak to MI5 and MI6.
He told the call handler: “I can use the 999 service because I’m SAS – you check with MI5”.
Dean, of Dunfermline‘s Macbeth Road, pled guilty to repeatedly calling 999 when there was no emergency, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to police area control room staff.
He also admitted making phone calls to call handlers that were grossly offensive or of an indecent, obscene or menacing character by making offensive and derogatory remarks and repeatedly uttering threats of violence.
The incidents took place between August 28 and 29, and October 14 this year.
Defence lawyer John Harper told the court Dean accepts he repeatedly engaged in this behaviour while intoxicated, against a background of declining mental health and poor physical health.
The court heard Dean had a previous conviction from 2012 for an analogous offence.
‘History of violence’
Sheriff Wylie Robertson told him: “These offences are serious.
“With any misuse of the 999 system not only are you engaging officers and time that could be used in a real emergency, you are taking resources aware from others who might need them.
“You are doing this on a number of occasions – I count 14 times, not including the 101 calls.
“You also made threats to service advisors and others.
“This comes from a man with a history of violence – you have previous convictions for assault.
“In 2017 you were put on a supervision requirement for two years and you are still offending in a serious way.
“No sentence other than custody is appropriate.”
