A HEREFORD woman who made more than 50 emergency phone calls had been banned from calling 999 services.

Natasha Woods, 28, of Hereford, was given a five-year criminal behaviour order (CBO) by Hereford Magistrates Court on August 25, 2021.

The CBO was granted on application by West Mercia Police because of the significant demand Ms Woods has placed on emergency services through her anti-social behaviour.

Since 2013, more than 50 calls had been received from her, by both the police and the ambulance service, calling to say she was going to harm herself or the public.

Further calls were made by medical staff at Hereford County Hospital when Ms Woods was threatening during medical assessment or when asked to leave after being discharged.

When responding to calls, emergency services found her to be safe and not at risk of harming herself.

When being medically assessed at the scene and at Hereford County Hospital, she was uncooperative, and at times threatening and violent towards hospital staff.

At no time has Ms Woods been found to be at risk of harming herself and it was established that her behaviour was caused mainly by alcohol misuse with no underlying mental health concerns.

The CBO granted against her is the second issued to her. The previous order was issued in 2010 based on similar anti-social behaviours.

She is prohibited from calling or encouraging others to call any of the emergency services for medical advice or aid, save when in genuine need of emergency services requiring immediate assessment, action or treatment.

She is also prohibited from causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person in any public place or place to which the public have access, and from being on or underneath Greyfriars Bridge, Hereford.

Ms Woods is currently serving a prison sentence for racially threatening behaviour towards hospital staff and assaulting three emergency workers at the same location.

A police spokesperson said: "Woods has placed significant and unnecessary demand on the emergency services through her malicious and reckless conduct, wasting many hours spent looking for her only to find that she was safe and at no risk of harming herself.

"Despite being offered support many times by professionals and warned about her conduct she has persisted in acting in this manner.

"Threatening and at times violent conduct has caused alarm and distress to the public and to those who have tried to help her. The issuing of this order will hopefully prevent her from acting in this manner in the future."