Healthy pensioner who called for an ambulance 314 times in five years — costing the NHS £50,000 — has been jailed
Paramedics spent a total of 302 hours taking John Harvey, 73, to be checked by doctors 149 times, only for him to frequently walk out before being examined
A 999 pest who needlessly rang for an ambulance 314 times in five years has been locked up.
Healthy pensioner John Harvey, 73, cost the NHS nearly £50,000 in wasted trips.
He was taken to hospital 149 times but never needed any treatment, a court heard.
Helen Randall, prosecuting, said paramedics spent a total of 302 hours taking Harvey to be checked by doctors, only for him to frequently walk out before being examined.
Harvey, of Swansea, South Wales, was jailed for 20 months on Monday after admitting breaching a criminal behaviour order aimed at stopping him dialling 999.
The city’s crown court heard he wasted £46,383 in ambulance costs alone.
On one occasion, he persuaded two strangers to ring 999 for him.
Miss Randall said Harvey had dried blood on his face when he approached the pair outside his home. They called 999 suspecting that he was seriously ill.
The prosecutor said paramedic James Davies arrived to find Harvey — who is single — sitting in his lounge at home and sipping whisky.
Miss Randall said: “Mr Davies performed tests and found Harvey to be in perfect health.”
Judge Paul Thomas told Harvey: “I simply don’t understand why you behave like this. You are a menace to society.
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“The only conclusion is pure malice after you have been drinking.
“We all know there is a great demand on the health services.
“You put other people’s lives at risk by diverting ambulances.”
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