Courts / Dublin / Report
Terminally ill man jailed for making thousands of nuisance 999 calls
Summary
Derek Guildea, 61, of Balbriggan, was sentenced to two and a half years' imprisonment for making 4,819 nuisance 999 calls between January 2021 and October 2022. He pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently calling emergency services to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. The calls were directed at the Garda emergency control room, the National Ambulance Centre and the 999 answering service, and included threats to a paramedic and to a call taker, saying he would kill the paramedic's children. The judge noted the sheer volume of calls disrupted ambulance and fire brigade responses and caused fear among emergency personnel. Guildea's sentence was suspended for 18 months on conditions that he desist from contacting emergency services unless a genuine need arises, and the sentence was back‑dated to his October 2023 arrest. He has 18 prior convictions and was diagnosed with a terminal illness in 2008. The court highlighted that alcohol was a core issue in his conduct.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Terminally ill man jailed for making thousands of nuisance 999 calls. Charges or matters: three counts of persistently making telephone calls for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety on dates between January 2021 and October 2022. Procedural stage: sentence
When:
- January 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2024-01-16 Publication
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: three counts of persistently making telephone calls for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience, or needless anxiety on dates between January 2021 and October 2022 (Admitted)
Plea: Guilty
Outcome: The judge handed down a sentence of two and a half years.
Places mentioned
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