A man who made bogus calls to the fire service and police in the middle of the night has been put on probation.

The emergency services attended an address in Baldwin Road, Douglas on February 5 at 1.17am after Richard Alan Kewley, of Tynwald Road, Willaston, made a 999 call.

However, when the fire service and police arrived they found no emergency and the occupants said they had not made the call.

Kewley, aged 58, admitted the offence and was made the subject of the 12-month probation order by High Bailiff Jayne Hughes.

We previously reported that Kewley was found outside police headquarters but denied making the call.But when police dialled the number that the call had been made from, Kewley’s phone, which was in his jacket, started to ring.

Kewley was given advice by police and released however, at 2.40am, a man reported receiving a call from Kewley threatening that he would ’slit his throat’ if he came anywhere near his house.

threat

Kewley was said to have made the threat three times.

The man was said to be refurbishing houses in Tynwald Road where Kewley lives.

Police then received another 999 call from Kewley saying: ’You better get off the line there is a train coming.’

Kewley was found and arrested but said he had been drinking so he struggled to remember the incidents.

He conceded the calls must have been from him as no-one else had access to his phone.

Kewley said he had sent the fire service to the Baldwin Road address because the occupant had sent things to him in the past.

He said he could not recall the second call threatening to slit the other man’s throat but admitted that he had issues with the man’s company and did not want them in his house.

offence

Kewley admitted making the third call to 999 and said he understood it was an offence as he had no need to call.

Kewley later estimated that he had drunk 16 to 18 cans before the offences took place.

Advocate Jane Gray said her client had not drunk since the offences.

’He is a full-time carer for a friend who lives with him. He says he had had a lot of alcohol on the evening in question when he made the calls. A custodial sentence would have a detrimental impact on the lady he cares for.’

Ms Gray said that Kewley had just completed an 18-month probation order.

’That was successfully completed and the recommendation in the report is for a further probation order.’

The advocate said that a report had described Kewley as having borderline learning difficulties.

Mrs Hughes also imposed a licensing ban, prohibiting Kewley from entering licensed premises and buying or being sold alcohol for six months.