A NEWCASTLE Emlyn man who made repeated nuisance calls to the emergency services had been seeking help, magistrates have heard.

Malcolm Roy Edwards pleaded guilty to three charges of making persistent use of the communication network to cause annoyance or inconvenience over an eight-day period in April after calling the ambulance service and police repeatedly, claiming he was suffering from chest pains and had a knife and was planning to kill himself.

Edwards also admitted a charge of being drunk and disorderly.

Helen Tench, prosecuting, said police were told by ambulance control that they had received a string of calls from Edwards who was claiming to have chest pains, but that when paramedics attended they either couldn’t find him or he was abusive and aggressive.

After he had made four calls, it was clear that Edwards was drunk and police took his mobile phone from him and warned him not to make nuisance calls, magistrates heard, but shortly after­wards he made another call from a phonebox claiming he was going to kill himself.

Edwards, of Heathmore, 2 Station Terrace, made another series of calls on 29 April saying that he had a knife and was “feeling violent toward everybody”.

Police officers found him at a phonebox, but Edw­ards was so drunk he couldn’t stand up on his own and couldn’t answer questions.

Despite being warned, just 15 minutes later Edwards made another call to the emergency services saying he was “fed up” of being told what to do.

Further calls were made on 30 April when Edw­ards claimed he was suffering chest pains and also told police he had a knife.

A police officer saw Edwards loitering by a phonebox and shortly after he left, Edwards made a call saying he had a knife.

He was approached by officers, but said he didn’t want help.

Ms Tench said: “He made it plain he didn’t want police assistance despite being on the phone to the police at the time.”

Magistrates heard that the repeated calls had led to both paramedics and police officers being called out, but said there were no details on the cost of those call outs.

Defence solicitor Alan Lewis said Edwards had issues with alcohol and mental health issues which he needed help for and said Edwards had also been affected by the loss of his job.

He said that Edwards realised when he was sober­ how much of a strain the nuisance calls placed on the emergency services and urged magistrates to impose a community order to help Edw­ards with his problems.

Edwards was given a 12-month community order­ with 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days.

He will also complete 100 hours of unpaid work and has been banned from pubs in Cardigan for two months as part of a prohibited activity order.

He will also pay costs of £145.