A WOMAN has been jailed after she admitted plaguing the 999 service with dozens of malicious calls over a four-day period in May. Zoe Thomas, 21, of Emery Close, Huntingdon, told police she had been drunk and bored when making the calls, the town s magi

A WOMAN has been jailed after she admitted plaguing the 999 service with dozens of malicious calls over a four-day period in May.

Zoe Thomas, 21, of Emery Close, Huntingdon, told police she had been 'drunk and bored' when making the calls, the town's magistrates heard.

Prosecutor Andrew Williams told the court how Thomas would dial 999 'time after time' but would remain silent on the line. When the emergency services rang back, Thomas would become abusive, Mr Williams added.

He said: "The last call was made 15 minutes before her arrest and in interview she seemed to find the situation funny. The offence involves up to 30 calls over a period of several days, tying up hours of operator time."

The calls, made from Thomas's mobile telephone, took place between May 24 and 28.

The court heard how committing the offence meant Thomas was in breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed for a variety of offences, including arson.

Representing Thomas, solicitor David Potter said she was a young woman with numerous difficulties who had endured a traumatic childhood.

Mr Potter said: "There is something compelling Miss Thomas to do this, but no one has got to the bottom of it. She is not an inherently bad person but she is lonely and mixed up and feels safe when she has been arrested."

Mr Potter added that Thomas had a personality disorder and pleaded with magistrates not to imprison her for more than six months for fear of losing her accommodation.

The solicitor added that Thomas was vulnerable, had a high risk of self-harm and said that going to prison would affect her more than it might most people.

Magistrates sentenced Thomas to six months in prison for the offence, minus 21 days she had already served in custody. The previously imposed suspended sentence was activated to run concurrently with the custodial sentence.