An Aberdeen man called 999 to say he was locked in his flat and had blood pouring from a hand injury – before opening the door to let the police in and showing them a scratch.
Jamie Stewart, 28, had police and ambulance crews scrambling on Sunday afternoon and was slammed by Sheriff Andrew Miller for making the “needless” call.
Depute fiscal Lucy Simpson said: “At around 4.50pm an emergency call handler for Police Scotland received a 999 call from the accused indicating he was locked in his home, that the police had his flat key and he needed police to put the door in.
“That call was ended and the accused called back and further stated he had cut his hand badly and blood was pumping out of his hand. The witness dispatched an ambulance and police to his address.”
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When police arrived he “immediately unlocked and opened the door and advised officers he had, in fact, had his key the whole time”.
Asked about his hand he “showed the police a small scratch which appeared to be old and was not bleeding”.
Stewart, of Bedford Road, Aberdeen, pled guilty to an offence under the communications act by causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety over the false emergency.
Defence agent Neil McRobert said: “No doubt his judgement was affected by the significant amount of alcohol he’d consumed.”
Sheriff Miller ordered him to carry out 100 hours of unpaid work.
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