Richard William Cove, 45, from Worthing, has admitted to making malicious calls to the NHS 111 service, resulting in a staggering £21,869 bill and significant disruption for emergency staff. He pleaded guilty at Worthing Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, 10 August. Sentencing is scheduled for 13 September.
NHS 111, the free helpline providing urgent but non-emergency medical advice, was overwhelmed by fake calls over a two-year period. Between April 2019 and April 2021, the South East Coast Ambulance Service (SECAmb) received 1,263 calls from a single nuisance caller.
The caller provided false personal details and medical complaints, prompting NHS staff to dispatch ambulances unnecessarily. This misuse of the taxpayer-funded service led to costly and avoidable expenses.
Each call followed a peculiar pattern: Cove either used a small set of false addresses or disguised his voice to sound like an elderly woman. The conversations often focused on his height and feet before shifting to questioning NHS call takers about their feet.
PC David Quayle stated, “He admitted making all the calls for his own enjoyment and personal benefit. He said he had a sexual foot fetish which he indulged during most of the calls.”
David Davis, SECAmb’s Head of Integrated Governance, condemned Cove’s behaviour, saying, “The impact of this individual’s actions should not be underestimated. Just one malicious and false call puts lives at risk by diverting our attention and resources away from people in genuine need of our help.” He added that the calls caused “unnecessary distress” to hardworking staff dedicated to saving lives.
Police traced Cove using his phone number and arrested him at his home. The case now awaits sentencing.
Originally published by UKNIP.
