Worthing man admits making over one thousand nuisance calls to NHS 111
45 year old Richard William Cove of Boundary Road pleaded guilty to making the phone calls to the free health helpline
Last updated 12th Aug 2021
A Worthing man has admitted making more than a thousand nuisance calls to a free NHS advice line in two years, costing the taxpayer more than £20,000.
Richard William Cove, 45, a buyer, of Boundary Road, Heene, Worthing, pleaded guilty to one charge of making malicious communications when he appeared at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday (10 August). He will be sentenced on September 13.
NHS 111 is a free NHS telephone and online service for the public to get advice in non-emergency medical situations.
The service, provided by South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust (SECAmb) in Sussex, is taxpayer funded and phone calls from the public are triaged by call takers supported by a variety of clinicians.
"Police enquiries identified the offender's phone number and arrested Cove at his home from where he had been making the calls on his landline.
"He admitted making all the calls, and that they were all for his own enjoyment and personal benefit. He said he had a sexual foot fetish which he indulged during most of the calls.”
PC David Quayle
"The impact of this individual’s actions should not be underestimated. Just one malicious and false call puts lives at risk by diverting our attention and resources away from people in genuine need of our help.
"The nature of the calls have also caused unnecessary distress to our staff who are working tirelessly get people the help they require. We welcome today’s conviction and the work of everyone involved in ensuring Cove is held responsible for his actions.”
David Davis, SECAmb’s Head of Integrated Governance