Police hope the sentencing of a man who dialled 111 in an attempt to divert emergency services when stopped north of Hamilton last month will act as a deterrent to other time wasters.
Waikato Road Policing Manager, Inspector Leo Tooman, said when a Police officer obtained the number of phone used to make a false report of a serious crash on the 25 February she got a shock when the phone number she called rang at her station.
"As it turned out the caller, one Jevon EDWARDS, 30, of Ngaruawahia had made the 111 call when stopped on SH1, Te Rapa by another unit.
"It turned out Edwards was in breach of his learner licence conditions and came up with the brain wave of diverting staff by dialling 111 without giving any thought to where those calls go."
In all three Police cars, two fire engines and an ambulance went to the fictitious crash callout which amounting to a significant waste of resources from all three services.
"Last week EDWARDS pled guilty in the Hamilton District Court to charges of using a telecommunications device and knowingly giving a fictitious message and was ordered to pay $1,350 reparations.
"Now it's all over we can probably afford a chuckle but the reality is he caused a huge waste of resources and we hope this penalty acts as a deterrent to others," said Mr Tooman.
End