A George Town man who broke a promise not to harass workers on a police radio room telephone number was fined $1000 in the Launceston Magistrates Court.
The court heard that Matthew Neil Roney, 38, made 926 calls to the Police Radio Dispatch Centre totalling 14 hours and 11 minutes between February and December in 2019.
"The majority of calls were frivolous and vexatious, abusive and hostile," police prosecutor Russell Forsyth said.
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In December 2019, Roney was delivered a letter from senior police ordering that he did not make any further calls.
He was released on a $1500 undertaking that he stop making such calls.
However, on March 24 last year, Roney called to report an alleged assault - a repeat of a genuine call he made on March 12.
He made three abusive calls over an hour saying amongst other things "don't be a f***ing s*** or you'll get your head blown off".
Magistrate Ken Stanton said it was a serious offence to waste the time of emergency service workers.
"It was appalling behaviour directed at people providing an essential public service," he said.
He said he believed Roney had been dealt with leniently on the previous court occasion concerning a count of using a carriage service to harass.
Roney was also sentenced for an assault of an employee at a business in Scamander in September last year after making a complaint about the quality of a meal.
The court heard that Roney was refused service of alcohol shortly before.
He threw several punches at a staff member striking her on the face.
You were the aggressor and you were the one who started it.
- Magistrate Ken Stanton
"I need to uphold the authority of staff to refuse service without being assaulted."
Defence counsel Alex Pemberton said Roney had several health issues and a problem with alcohol.
Mr Stanton said that Roney's problem with alcohol was one that not only affected him but the whole community.
He sentenced him to an eight-week jail term but suspended it for 18 months.
Roney also received a 12 months Community Correction Order under which he must be assessed and treated for alcohol dependency.
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Nick Clark
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
I am the Supreme and Magistrates Court reporter for the Examiner for the past 18 months. My journalism career has clicked over 30 years and encompasses four different spells at Tasmanian newspapers.
