A pensioner, who claimed an unknown person sneaked into her house to leave alcohol, has been jailed for making nuisance 999 calls.

Ann Gateley, of Cold Blow, Templeton, pleaded guilty to misusing the 999 system when she appeared from custody at Haverfordwest magistrates court on Monday, September 2.

Danielle Lodwig, prosecuting, told the court Gateley, 72, made seven 999 calls and one call using the 101 system between August 30 and September 1.

“She reported that she needed help, but refused to say what service she required. She was very difficult to understand, and said she did not need an ambulance.”

Officers called at her home after she hung up on the operator, but she refused to let them in and continued making another call to the emergency services.

During another call she told the operator to ‘stop typing’ as she would be sent to prison.

Miss Lodwig said: “The defendant was asking for help, but not from the police and was very distressed.”

Gateley called again stating someone was going to kill her.

She was described as heavily intoxicated during another call and hung up. Officers returned to her house and arrested her.

When interviewed she stated she was remorseful and wanted to see if she could get help, but could not comment on how many calls she had made.

The court heard that she denied buying alcohol, or having a drink problem, but claimed someone had been coming into her property and leaving alcohol there.

Gateley told officers she got ‘scared and worked up’, and was frightened of falling as she had arthritis.

Miss Lodwig added: “She accepted it was not proper use of the 999 system, she said it was simply a cry for help.”

The bench heard Gateley had a number of previous similar convictions which had led to prison sentences. She had been released on licence shortly before the latest calls began.

Jonathan Webb, defending, said: “When she is intoxicated she feels lonely and scared. She thinks people are trying to come to get her. It’s clearly a mental health matter.

“She carries on calling 999 when she is drunk and we don’t know why.”

Magistrates sentenced Gateley to 20 weeks in prison and ordered her to pay £207 in costs and a surcharge.