A 58-year-old man who called police claiming he intended to self-harm when he was in fact drunk in a shed, has avoided prison – but must pay the costs of the significant resources deployed in the search to locate him.
David Sneddon from Laganvale, Dromore, admitted causing wasteful employment of police time by knowingly making a false report for his safety.
Banbridge Magistrates’ Court heard he made a 999 call to police on the evening of July 3, 2023 and was extremely emotional.
He said police “were not his friends” and claimed to be beside an unspecified river but would not reveal where.
Officers declared him a high-risk missing person and all available resources were tasked to search for him.
This involved multiple front-line officers searching for three hours and required resources being drafted from other districts to assist.
Many officers had finished their shifts therefore overtime costs were also incurred.
In a follow-up call Sneddon alleged he was in a Solitude Park in Banbridge and was planning to enter the river however his phone signal was not showing as in that area, indicating he was not providing accurate information.
Police issued a high-risk missing person alert to which several members of the public responded, one of whom said she had spoken to Sneddon who had likewise told her he was going to enter a river.
Three hours later officers located him in a garden shed at the home of his friend.
He was “confrontational and aggressive” with police and due to his previous claims was taken to Craigavon Area Hospital, but released after treatment wasn’t required.
Throughout interview Sneddon claimed to have no knowledge or recall of the event as he was “severely intoxicated”.
A prosecuting lawyer added: “Police have asked for the financial costs to be recouped because they were quite significant. An estimated figure due to the overtime and responses requiring ten constables, one sergeant, one inspector and three detectives, is over £1600.”
A defence solicitor said Sneddon has complex mental health issues for which he is now receiving regular treatment.
He is currently under a deferred sentence for assaulting a police officer and a paramedic when they tried to assist him after a previous similar incident, however the matter before the court pre-dated that.
“The defendant has addiction issues but is now much more settled and apologises for his behaviour,” said the defence.
“It’s accepted this was a serious matter and there was huge financial loss to police.”
District Judge Eamonn King noted: “The number of police officers called out while the defendant was sitting drunk on the phone in a shed is serious. He called saying he was in Solitude Park and police were engaged there as well as trying to find where he really was.
“Significant resources were used trying to locate this man. Then there’s his previous record for assaults on people coming to his aid.”
Jailing Sneddon for six months suspended for two years and ordering full compensation to police, Judge King told him, “You ought to be ashamed of yourself. All those scarce emergency resources deployed. Aged 58 and sitting in a shed drunk.”
At this, Sneddon retorted he had mental health issues and walked from the court but the judge ordered him to be brought back and enquired, “Haven’t you ever thought of leaving the drink alone and your mental health might improve? If you weren’t under the influence of alcohol you wouldn’t have been wasting police time.”
Judge King warned, “If you’re back in front of me in any shape, fashion or form I will lock you up for as long as I possibly can.”
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