Police-calling 'idiot' from Pudsey continued to dial 999 despite ban

Mark Lee was given a five-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) in May of this year because of his persistent calls to West Yorkshire Police. But two months later he broke the terms and made a call to the police, prosecutor Erin Kitson-Parker told Leeds Crown Court.

The 54-year-old told them he was suffering from mental health problems and needed help. He then made another call the next day and continued to ask for help repeatedly and that he wanted to die.

Six days later the police were called to his block of flats on Fartown Lane, Pudsey, at around 1pm after Lee make threats to his neighbour in which he said he would “chop both of his legs off and get a gun to shoot him.”

With officers attending, they witnessed him holding a kitchen knife and telling the neighbour that he would kill him and his dog. Police said he was intoxicated at the time and during his later interview said he had no recollection of the events.

Appearing in court via video link from HMP Leeds, where he was being held on remand, he admitted breaching his CBO and making threats to kill.

Mitigating, Adrian Pollard said Lee knew he was facing a jail sentence and that he recognised that alcohol was an issue.

He said: “He is usually very co-operative and everybody has tried their best to help this man. He falls out with the world when he has a drink. None of that is an excuse, he just wants to tell you what his thoughts are. He says he is fed up with being an idiot."

He said that since his mother died, Lee had been drinking more and has led to his offending. He said: “He apologises to everybody concerned. He is truly sorry. His life is just one long misery.”

The Recorder of Leeds, Judge Guy Kearl KC, jailed Lee for 10 months, and said: “You are wasting the emergency services’ time. Your conduct has an impact on others trying to report genuine crimes. Court orders are there to be observed, they are not optional.”