Derek Guildea jailed for nuisance emergency calls

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Derek Guildea was jailed for two and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended, at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. Judge Pauline Codd imposed the sentence.

The proceedings were reported on 17 January 2024. The sentence was backdated to when Guildea went into custody in October.

Guildea pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently making telephone calls to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. The calls occurred between January 2021 and October 2022.

The suspended portion required him to avoid contacting emergency services except for genuine need, using a third party. He made 4,819 calls to emergency services, including 3,623 calls to 999.

The report said Guildea had lung cancer, loneliness and an alcohol problem. A Garda agreed alcohol was central to his deterioration and offending, while his counsel said the guilty pleas spared witnesses from attending court.