A man has been fined and handed a suspended prison sentence after pleading guilty to two counts of malicious communications against police call handlers. 

John Chance, aged 56, was given one 18 week, and one 24 week, suspended prison sentence while also ordered to pay a total of £300 compensation. 

On Thursday (January 27) at St Albans Magistrates Court, the court heard how on June 7, 2022, Chance called Hertfordshire Constabulary's Force Communications Room (FCR) to report anti-social behaviour in his area. When in conversation with a call handler he became grossly abusive, used obscene and offensive language. 

A second call to the FCR saw the same outcome with a different call handler speaking to Chance with him again using abusive language. 

FCR Chief Inspector Steve Alison, said: "Our hard-working, dedicated FCR call handlers are at the end of the phone line, and web chat, 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year to help the public in their hour of need.

"They answer 999 calls assisting those who may be in a life-threatening situation or when a crime is being carried out and responding to 101 non-emergency incidents.  

"Our call handlers are well used to dealing with members of the public who are extremely distressed or in need of urgent help. But even by the standards of challenging calls we receive, Chance's language was utterly shocking and completely unjustified.  

"For members of our fantastic staff to be verbally abused is wholly unacceptable and it will not be tolerated, so we welcome this prosecution.  

"Our colleagues' wellbeing is of the utmost importance and they have been fully supported throughout."