Ryan Thurman, station manager at Basingstoke fire station
A SERIAL hoax caller who put lives at risk and wasted thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money has been punished.
The 16-year-old, from Popley, Basingstoke - who cannot be named for legal reasons - made a string of malicious phone calls to Hampshire Fire and Rescue Service reporting fictitious fires and road accidents.
Basingstoke youth court heard how fire crews from Popley Fields fire station and Basingstoke fire station were sent out to Oakridge several times between November 5 last year and January 8 this year, after the youngster made 10 prank phone calls.
More than £8,000 was wasted as a result of crews being called out to non-existent emergency incidents, which could have stopped them attending genuine emergencies.
The youth duped phone operators with tales of property fires, traffic collisions and small fires.
And, on several occasions, more than one appliance was sent out, thus increasing the cost to the taxpayer.
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The court heard that the teenager was caught after police traced the calls back to his mobile phone.
Prosecutor Rebecca Cox told the court: "Clearly, the cost of these crimes is very expensive and dangerous as engines might have been needed elsewhere.
"If this was involving an adult, it would be seen as very serious and a custodial sentence would be an option."
Mrs Cox added attempts to curb the teenager's criminal behaviour had failed, including enrolling him in the Young Firefighters Association.
The youngster pleaded guilty to five charges of giving a false alarm of fire and asked for five others to be taken into consideration.
Teri Elin, defending, said: "This young man has been diagnosed with Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) and may have other underlying mental issues.
This is a very serious offence and, if you were an adult, you would almost certainly face a custodial sentence
Michael Whitaker, presiding magistrate
"He doesn't know why he does these things."
Presiding magistrate Michael Whitaker ord-ered the youth to comply with an 18-month community order with a supervision requirement and to undergo a mental health assessment.
He also made the boy's parents the subject of a parenting order, meaning they have to attend guidance sessions for three months Mr Whitaker said: "This is a very serious offence and, if you were an adult, you would almost certainly face a custodial sentence.
"You know what you did was wrong and, if you do it again, you will go to prison."
Speaking after the hearing, Ryan Thurman, station manager at Basingstoke fire station, said: "We are, of course, pleased with the action that has been taken.
"Hoax calls risk people's lives by tying up fire and rescue resources which may be needed in other, genuine, life-saving incidents.
"To put our communities at needless risk with bogus, malicious calls is abhorrent."
He added: "Put quite simply, this hoax caller has not only wasted resources, but lives have also been put in danger."
As previously reported in The Gazette as part of our Hoax 999 Calls Are No Joke campaign, more than £140,000 of taxpayers' cash was wasted on res-ponding to malicious fire calls across Hampshire last year.
The brigade received 721 hoax calls and false alarms in 2007 - up from 705 in 2006.
Any person who makes a hoax call to the emergency services is committing a criminal offence.
If caught, they can be taken to court and may face a fine of up to £5,000
and a custodial sentence of up to six months.
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