Hoppers Crossing man pleads guilty to fake triple-0 calls

A Hoppers Crossing man who went on a drunken triple-0 hoax call rampage, tying up police and CFA crews with fake reports of house fires and stabbings, has escaped a jail term.

A man who made a series of fake triple-0 calls has avoided a jail sentence. Photo: iStock

A Hoppers Crossing man who made a dozen hoax calls to emergency services, including one claiming he had been stabbed by “a dark skinned offender”, has escaped a jail term for his “repugnant behaviour”.

Joel Charles Smith faced Werribee Magistrates’ Court yesterday, pleading guilty to making 12 prank calls to police and the CFA over a two-day period in November 2017.

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The court heard Smith used his mobile phone — and a series of fake names — to make the triple-0 calls, making false claims about house fires and violent assaults around Werribee.

Smith’s defence lawyer said her client had “consumed a significant amount of alcohol” prior to making the calls and he “couldn’t remember making quite so many”.

Smith, who spent six years in jail after being found guilty on serious driving offences in 2004 and has a history of alcohol abuse, had been due to front court on several driving offences the day after the bulk of the hoax calls were made and was “highly anxious and highly stressed”, according to his lawyer.

“His uncle had passed away around this time too and that also caused him some considerable psychological stress,” she said.

Magistrate Mike Wardell said making prank calls had been a “bizarre” reaction to stress.

“This is repugnant behaviour … tying up services that should be detailed to genuine and honest complaints,” he said.

“The CFA are busy enough during this time of year (when the offences occurred) with fires that threaten the safety of others without having to be diverted to false reports, hoax reports.

“Likewise, police are attending regular incidents involving violence, not knowing what they’re going to walk into and again, you’re citing there have been stabbings and the like — it’s just bizarre behaviour.”

Mr Wardell sentenced Smith to a community corrections order for one year, including 200 hours of unpaid community work.

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