A man has been remanded in custody after ringing 999 and demanding police and an ambulance – because he had a temperature and thought he might have Covid.
The 58-year-old has now appeared back in the dock and admitted ringing the emergency services after waking up with a temperature.
But when police arrived Galvin admitted he was drunk and did not need assistance.
Fiscal depute Lynzi Souter told Aberdeen Sheriff Court: “This all started on January 17 at 5.30am. A call was made to the police via 999 and this was from the accused requesting police and an ambulance attend at his home address as he’d woken up with a significant temperature and intimated he thought he had Covid symptoms.
“Police arrived and traced the accused who advised he only phoned 999 because he was drunk and he did not, in fact, need assistance.”
The police officers cancelled the ambulance before it arrived.
Mrs Souter went on: “At 1.15pm on the same day, officers were asked to attend regarding the accused persistently calling 999 and requesting an ambulance.
“An ambulance was also dispatched at that time.
“Officers found the accused not to be requiring any medical help or assistance.
“Two ambulance staff attended as well and there was no reason for their attendance either.”
Galvin, of Gordon Place, Ellon, pled guilty to persistently phoning 999, for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety to police and ambulance staff, requesting an ambulance when there was no medical emergency.
Defence agent Mike Monro said: “I sound like a broken record when I appear on behalf of Mr Galvin.
“The situation is that he is an alcoholic. He has managed to largely keep himself out of trouble, but over the last few months he has behaved in the way stated.”
Mr Monro said his client apologised for his conduct, adding: “At this particular time in all our lives it is made all the more serious because everybody in the emergency services has better things to do at any time, but particularly now, this is totally unacceptable.
“The accused knows that.
“The call centres do not automatically send out a unit every time he calls, because otherwise he’d have his own private police force and ambulance company.
“His pathetic words when cautioned and charged were ‘I’m stupid’. If ever there was an understatement, that has to be it.
“Two of m’lady’s brother sheriffs have spoken to the accused and he has promised he would not re-offend, and yet here we are again.”
Sheriff Margaret Hodge told Galvin: “It seems to me because you have committed these offences within a very short space of time, and they are taking up a great deal of public resources which would be far better used elsewhere, I’m going to remand you for reports.”
She deferred sentence until next month for reports and for the case to call alongside the sentencing over a separate, similar offence.
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