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A pensioner who made hundreds of abusive 999 calls, including one demanding to be taken to bingo, has walked free from court.

Lena Taylor, 90, was convicted of making nuisance calls to the emergency services in July, when she received a two-year conditional discharge.

However she was back in the dock last month and admitted making 420 calls to the 999 service between July 14 and August 30.

The pensioner, of Churchill Street, Wallsend, was sentenced at North Tyneside Magistrates' Court on Friday, where she pleaded guilty to a third malicious communications offence on September 7.

The court heard that the latest offence involved nine phone calls to 999.

Lee Poppett, prosecuting, said: "Mrs Taylor was abusive during the course of those telephone calls using foul and abusive language and not in fact reporting any emergency incident."

The court heard that between July 14 and August 30, Taylor had been a great strain on resources and had an ambulance sent to her house on four occasions. Taylor was taken to hospital once but the other three times, she did not need hospital treatment.

During one call on July 22, she rang saying "I've done my dinner, I need someone to take me to bingo to keep me calm. Stop f****** messing around with me. I'm not going to sit in this house all day."

A few days later on July 28 she demanded an ambulance and said: "I want them here now. Bring me a cup of tea and a pasty. Hurry up I'm starving."

(Image: Newcastle Chronicle)

In another call later, she said "My pasty's f****** fell on the floor you stupid c***s, get the ambulance out now."

Mr Poppett added: "Trust staff are reportedly being abused, insulted and sworn at and this is causing distress.

"There is concern about the impact it's having on the staff."

But despite her repeated appearances before the court, it was revealed Taylor has continued to make abusive phone calls in the last few days.

The court heard that Taylor has made 79 calls to the emergency services in the last three days.

Mark Harrison, defending, said: "This is a lady who has reached her 90th birthday without a conviction or caution against her name.

"Then in the course of this calender year she has found herself in a situation where her liberty could be at risk.

"It's a huge sadness that Mrs Taylor has found herself again appearing before the criminal courts.

"She has almost this compulsion to ring the emergency services.

"What she then says on the telephone to the emergency services is inexcusible.

"She doesn't wake up in the morning wondering who to abuse next.

"The plan is to occupy her time, the plan is to alleviate her loneliness, the plan is to put her in touch with others who can provide help and support."

Magistrates handed Taylor a 12 month community order and ordered her to pay £85 court costs and an £85 victim surcharge.

Chairman of the bench, Wyn Clayton said: "There are people all over the area waiting for ambulance for an emergency and whilst the crews are tied up coming out when it is not an emergency, those people can become victims of yours.

"You must take this on board. You are interfering with other people in the North East's health care by making these calls. They must stop."

The court heard that in future, emergency calls made by Taylor will be screened by her GP surgery first.