A KENDAL woman who persistently made hoax calls to the emergency services has been jailed for four months.

Katie Gardener, 20, of Monkswell, pleaded guilty to making nuisance calls and breaching her community order.

Prosecuting, Lisa O’Laughlin, told the court that on the January 22, police received a phone call which they traced to Gardener’s address.

Ms O’Laughlin said that when the police turned up to Gardener’s home she swore at them and told them to leave and they believed she was drunk.

When officers returned to caution her the following day she said she had no recollection of making the call.

Ms O’Laughlin said that on February 26, Gardener called the ambulance service on four occasions in quick succession claiming she had taken an overdose.

When ambulance crew arrived, one of the paramedics recognised Gardener and watched as she called 999 again from the public telephone box.

Later, when questioned by police, Gardener said she had drunk two litres of cider, a bottle of WKD and a can of larger and could not remember dialling 999.

Ms O’Laughlin said Gardener has several previous convictions for similar offences including an offence in November last year for which she received a community order.

She said Gardener had failed to comply with the requirements of the order and failed to attend an appointment on January 29.

In mitigation, Jackie Partington said Gardener accepted that she had called 999 under the influence of alcohol and had wasted the time of the emergency services but said the calls had not caused disruption of distress.

She said Gardener’s actions were largely due to alcohol misuse which she was keen to address. She said Gardener displayed “attention-seeking behaviour” when she had reached a low point.

Mrs Partington said Gardener has mental health difficulties and would be “extremely vulnerable” in a custodial setting.

She said: “She is an intelligent girl but alcohol is having a devastating effect on her life.”

Magistrates said Gardener had persistently offended in a way that created a inconvenience to the emergency services and potentially put the lives of others at risk.

She was sentenced to four months in jail.