Hoax bomb caller who threatened care home workers avoids jail
A Walsall woman who plagued emergency services with hoax bomb calls over two days in June and harassed a care home for three and a half months has narrowly avoided jail.
Katie Jellings, 27, of Riddings Crescent in Pelsall, made the threats against staff at the Woodcross Nursing Home, where her fiancé of three years is a resident, because she said they were preventing her from seeing him.
Her campaign of intimidation lasted between January and April but ramped up significantly last month, when she told police five times over June 14 and June 15 that bombs had been planted at the home.
According to Mr Cooper, she had even called takeaways and asked for them to bring food to the home in the early hours of the morning, causing delivery drivers distress.
"Some got aggressive. They had attended in good faith and they expected to be paid for their services," Mr Cooper said.
A probation officer who met Jellings before her sentencing said: "It was coming up to her nan's death anniversary and she said she was feeling depressed and down and couldn't get through to her partner.
"She didn't have her family to go to speak to…She didn't think of her actions."
She added Jellings had been in care between 2008 and 2010 and had been designated a social worker to help her.
"She accepts making the calls and she says she has learned her lesson."
Magistrates ordered Jellings to serve a 12 month community including a 25 days activity requirement. She must also pay £185 in costs and an £85 surcharge.
The court was earlier told she had never worked and is in receipt of £204 a fortnight in employment and support allowance.
A spokesman for the HC-One, which owns the care home, said: "The behaviour of this individual was unacceptable and we are pleased with the outcome of the recent court hearing. We will always take steps to support our colleagues and protect them from harassment, so they can focus on doing the job they love."
