MAN CALLED 999 NEARLY 2,000 TIMES INVOLVING ABUSIVE AND SEXUALLY EXPLICIT BEHAVIOUR
A MAN has been sentenced after being abusive and sexually explicit during almost 2,000 calls to the emergency services.Richard Bowles, 51, of Woodstock Road, Salisbury, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on August 29 after pleading guilty to seven counts of sending indecent or grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety to emergency services including South Western Ambulance Service.
The court heard how between December 2022 and July 2025, Bowles called 999 requesting to speak to the ambulance service 1,920 times.
The total cost of these incidents is estimated to be around £186,000.
Bowles was sentenced to a five year Criminal Behaviour Order preventing him from contacting emergency and non-emergency services and acting in an inappropriate sexualised manner.
If this order is breached, a custodial sentence may be granted.
Mike Jones, crime and violence reduction manager for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust said: "Bowles has continued to be one of the most prolific offenders of sexually explicit and crude behaviour towards colleagues.
Not only does this behaviour have a significant cost to the public purse, money which cannot be spent on delivering great patient care, but the personal impact is vast.
Colleagues join the ambulance service to help people.
They do not expect to be sworn at, abused and subject to graphic sexual harassment for the job they do.
Many colleagues have had to endure Bowles's abuse purely for his own gratification which has ultimately taken them away from providing help to those in need.
The sentencing sends a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable.
We'd like to thank Wiltshire Police for their investigation into Bowles's behaviour and we will continue to work with our police colleagues and partners to relentlessly pursue those who seek to abuse and misuse our services.
