A local woman has been fined £250 after pleading guilty to Wasteful Employment of Police Time.

Janice Menez, 26, of Glacis Estate, was sentenced at the Magistrates’ Court this afternoon.

Her arrest followed an incident during the early hours of Saturday April 10 this year, when Menez called the police’s 999 emergency line (previously 199) seven times.

She told officers in the Control Room that there was a disturbance at an address in Laguna Estate.

However, on arrival at the address officers found that there was no disturbance and that the occupants were asleep.

Not long after, officers were again dispatched to the same address following another call from Menez, and again, no disturbance was found.

Officers recognised the voice of Menez on the phone and despite warning her several times to stop using the 999 emergency number (previously 199), she continued to call.

Menez was then arrested just after 5am that same morning.

On arrest she claimed she didn’t have a mobile, but while officers were in her residence, her phone started to ring.

Her number matched the number of the mobile that had been used to call the Control Room.

An RGP spokesman, said: “We were particularly busy that morning and could have done without our time being wasted in this way.

“Using the emergency line for non-emergencies means that those in genuine need may not be able to get through to the police. We will always take action against those who waste our time and put the public’s safety at risk.”