A man who wasted police time by burping down the phone after dialling 999 has been given a suspended prison sentence for doing it again.

Rhys Pilott was jailed last year for nuisance 999 dials, and has now been caught getting back up to the same tricks.

The 28-year-old was sent down for 24 weeks at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court in November.

Prosecutor Anthea Harris said during the hearing in November: “When he was arrested, he continued to belch. He said to police ‘if you’re bored, prank call the police. It’s fun’.”

Pilott, who served much of his sentence while remanded in custody ahead of the court hearing, made further nuisance calls after his release.

Cambridgeshire Police said he burped at call handlers again and was arrested on December 30.

Pilott, of Crown Mews, Peterborough, admitted at an earlier hearing to causing a public nuisance and to persistently making use of a public communication network to cause annoyance.

He was sentenced on Wednesday at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court to a 10-week suspended prison sentence, suspended for 24 months, a court official said.

Pilott was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £122 and to take part in up to 40 days of a rehabilitation activity.

Michelle Canagasuriam, mitigating in the earlier hearing of November 2019, said Pilott’s offending was not “malicious or callous” and he has learning difficulties.