Woman fined by court for breaching ban on nuisance calls to police
Katrina Lawson made persistent nuisance calls to Suffolk police earlier this year Picture: LAUREN DE BOISE - Credit: Archant
An Ipswich woman has been fined for repeatedly breaching a court order banning her from making nuisance calls to the police.
Katrina Lawson breached a community protection order forbidding her from contacting the force control room, unless in the event of an emergency, on 40 occasions between February 19 and May 26 this year.
The 40-year-old, of London Road, Ipswich, admitted failing to comply with the order at Suffolk Magistrates' Court on Friday.
Prosecutor Fiona Carrington said the order had been served and signed on February 14 following Lawson's persistent calls to the police - made mainly while under the influence of alcohol.
Lawson failed to comply with the order by contacting the control room on multiple occasions over the course of three months - including 17 times in April.
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The court heard how she had twice been convicted of wasting police time in 2013 and 2014.
Lucy Osborn, mitigating, said: "With the benefit of hindsight, and having discussed making the persistent phone calls with me, she realises it wasn't the right thing to do.
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"Her feelings were not entirely rational. She was often at home, alone and under the influence of alcohol.
"In her mind, these seemed like genuine emergencies, but she can now see they weren't.
"Many of the calls were made because she was lonely and wanted someone to talk to.
"She was referred to different agencies and was genuinely suffering distress at these times."
The court heard how Lawson had been experiencing extreme loneliness since the sudden death of her husband.
"This was a deeply traumatic event, which she has struggled to get over," said Ms Osborn.
"She needs to undertake bereavement counselling and alcohol treatment, but is not doing that at the moment.
"She struggles to cope with everyday issues other people deal with differently."
Magistrates said they accepted Lawson had been dealing with a number of unresolved issues, but reminded her that she must refrain from continually making nuisance calls to the control room.
They fined her £100 and ordered her to make an £85 contribution to costs, as well as a £30 statutory victim surcharge payment.
