Mail readers want to see tougher punishments for people who make hoax calls to emergency services

Readers say there should be tougher punishments for people who make hoax or nuisance calls to the emergency services but agree that people with mental health issues should be taken into consideration.
By Candice Farrow
Published 31st Dec 2019, 19:36 BST
Updated 2nd Jan 2020, 10:57 BST
Readers say there should be tougher punishments for people who make hoax or nuisance calls to the emergency services but agree that people with mental health issues should be taken into consideration.Readers say there should be tougher punishments for people who make hoax or nuisance calls to the emergency services but agree that people with mental health issues should be taken into consideration.
Readers say there should be tougher punishments for people who make hoax or nuisance calls to the emergency services but agree that people with mental health issues should be taken into consideration.

We asked readers: “Do you think there should be tougher punishments for people who make hoax or nuisance calls to the emergency services?”

And 98% of the 687 people that took part with the online poll agreed that there should be tougher punishments.

Here’s what readers had to say:

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Silas Hobbit said: “Yes, on the condition that anyone with mental health issues is not sent to prison over this.”

Other readers comments said:

Paul Leake said: “If people are doing this for a laugh by all means fine them heavily but quite a lot of this won't be malicious but will be from people who just don't have a clue or who have mental health or personality disorders for whom there are better ways of prevention than fining.“Thankfully people ringing 999 with clearly frivolous things are got off the line quickly, far more damage caused when people make fake calls about fires or make up symptoms to get an ambulance sent out that they didn't really need.”

Jamie Ross said: “They need to be sent the bill for the call out by emergency services for the time and fuel that they wasted.

“If they cannot pay they need to serve a jail term. They are taking away resources that are under strain and could take an ambulance or policeman from a real emergency which could cost someone else their life.”