A DIABETIC pensioner whose carer was removed from his home by police following a domestic incident repeatedly made 999 calls because he was worried about his medication. 

In a state of panic, 65-year-old Ian Greenfield repeatedly called the police emergency number for at least 90 minutes, at one point threatening to do this another 50 times, magistrates heard. 

When police officers asked him to explain why he was making those calls, he said that it was about his medication.

At the city's Rickergate court, Greenfield, of Green Lane, Belle Vue, admitted an offence of persistently making nuisance 999 calls. He had a similar offence on his record from 2012, the court heard. 

Pam Ward, prosecuting, said the trouble began on December 11 last year when police were called to the pensioner’s home. “There was a possible ongoing domestic dispute,” the prosecutor said.

“It was unclear whether any offence had been committed therefore the [defendant’s] partner was removed from the address and taken to another property to prevent any further problems.”

Before the police left with the woman, Greenfield expressed his dissatisfaction with the service he had been given by the police. Early the next morning, between 1.30am and just after 3am, he made repeated 999 calls to the police.

“He continued to ignore the advice [of police] and persistently called 999 until the police reattended his address,” continued Mrs Ward.

“He said that he would ring them every night  until they arrested him; he said: ‘I’ll phone 50 times if you want.” When he was interviewed, he said the purpose of his calls was to raise an issue with his medication.

Steven Marsh, defending, said the defendant – who needed to walk with the aid of a walking stick - suffered from multiple medical conditions, said Mr Marsh. These  included type 1 diabetes – a condition he had lived with for nearly 50 years, and which resulted in him suffering frequent hypoglycaemia attacks.

He needed daily insulin injections. He was also registered blind and had a longstanding heart condition. “He also has a history of mental health issues,” said Mr Marsh. “He has been sectioned twice and suffers anxiety and depression.

“He is very much dependent on carer for his day-to-day life.”

That background was very relevant to the offence, said the lawyer. On the evening in question, he had suffered an injury – a gash on his head.

An allegation of assault had prompted police to remove his carer from the address. But Greenfield as a consequence was left on his own. “He rang 999 because he didn’t know how he was going to cope without anyone to provide him with insulin and his medication for various other conditions,” said Mr Marsh.

He had called the police to ask for somebody to provide his insulin and while he went about tackling the problem in the wrong way he felt that dialling 999 was the only way he could get help.

Mr Marsh added: “He wasn’t fully in control of what he was doing.”

Magistrates accepted that Greenfield had a “lot of things going on” in his life when he committed the offence, which included mental and physical problems. Given that background, they felt a fine was the most appropriate punishment.

The imposed a fine of £85, with costs of £85 and a £34 victim surcharge. “You have enough problems and I want you to put them behind you,” the presiding magistrate told the defendant.

He added: “We are confident you won’t do this again.”

Greenfield, who wept through much of the hearing, said: “Thank you, sir.” He then turned to a woman who had helped him as he came into the court, saying: “She’s the only person who’s keeping me alive, that lovely lady.”

Diabetes UK provides useful information about the condition.