Man admits nuisance calls to police

A nuisance caller had sentence deferred after admitting a making a string of “unnecessary” 999 calls to the police.

Honorary sheriff Eric Peterson also refused bail to Nathan Steven Hilditch who pleaded not guilty to a number of other charges after appearing from custody this afternoon (Tuesday).

Hilditch, 19, of Horseshoe Close, Virkie, admitted “persistently” making the calls “without good reason” to the “inconvenience and needless anxiety” of the police between 18th May and 2nd June.

Procurator fiscal Duncan MacKenzie said it was “difficult to convey how much a drain on the resources this man is when phoning the police.” Mr MacKenzie said that police were repeatedly called to the south end of Shetland to investigate the bogus calls.

He said that Hilditch’s behaviour was “simply wicked” and designed to cause annoyance and inconvenience to the police and that the consequences of his behaviour had been made perfectly clear by the court. If he was released on bail, that would “grossly undermine” the court.

Hilditch was jailed before for making hundreds of nuisance calls and Tommy Allan, defending, said that the teenager was very keen not to return to prison and felt he clearly did not belong with other criminals.

Hilditch pleaded not guilty to charges of attempting to steal two cars and assaulting another man by repeatedly punching him at Dragontree Cottage, Virkie, all on the 26th May. His trial date was set for 23rd July and sentence on the nuisance call charge was deferred till 26th June, pending a social work report.