A HEREFORD man has been handed a criminal behaviour order after making menacing and sexually explicit calls to 999 after drinking a bottle of vodka.

Victor Collett appeared before Kidderminster magistrates for sentencing after previously entering a guilty plea when he appeared before magistrates in Hereford.

He had made 13 menacing calls to West Mercia Police on March 6, swearing, calling the 999 operator a 'faker', and making sexually explicit remarks, prosecutor Mark Hambling said at his plea hearing.

In interview, Collett told police he had been out that day and had started drinking, consuming a bottle of vodka and several beers after returning home feeling depressed.

He said he had tried contacting MIND and the Samaritans before calling 999, and admitted he should only have used the emergency line for something drastic.

The court heard Collett has previous convictions, the most recent of which was in January of this year, for which he received a conditional discharge.

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Shaun Newey, for Collett, said the 37-year-old is autistic and has issues with his mental health, and that he had made frank admissions to the police.

"Clearly it is of concern to the court that we have three similar incidents in the last 12 months or so," Mr Newey said.

"He was living in sheltered accommodation in Kidderminster and was volunteering at a charity shop until 2020, when he was 'cuckoo'd' by a criminal gang and moved for his own safety.

"This left him without supported housing and without family or friends. He was completely alone and finds it difficult to form new friendships, and he turned to alcohol when he felt depressed.

"He does not remember the phone calls, but does not use that as an excuse."

The court heard Collett is now receiving help to get himself back to the situation he was in before leaving Kidderminster.

The case was adjourned for a pre-sentencing report to be carried out by probation and

Collett, of Campbell Road, Hereford, was handed a 12-month community order with 50 hours of unpaid work and a two-year criminal behaviour order banning him from behaving in a was that causes harassment, alarm, or distress, including shouting and swearing, in public, contacting the emergency services except when in genuine need, and displaying aggressive, threatening, abusive, or obstructive behaviour towards the emergency services.

He must pay costs of £150.