A man who made more than 200 abusive hoax calls to police, including making up alleged stabbings, has been sentenced.

Nasir Shah, 34, was arrested on August 10 after police received a large number of phone calls on both the 999 emergency and 101 non-emergency contact lines.

The calls began on July 22 when Shah dialled 999 21 times and 101 19 times. He made racial and sexual remarks as well as violent threats to call handlers during each of the calls.

Shah made a further 21 abusive hoax calls in the early hours of August 10 before being arrested at the Brewery Tap in Peterborough.

In every 999 call he made, Shah would cause disruption by singing down the phone, shouting and being verbally abusive towards call handlers. He would also make up alleged stabbings and assaults.

Following his release on bail on September 11, Shah dialled 999 the very next day and made more than 153 hoax 999 calls since.

Shah, of Kesteven Walk, Peterborough, pleaded guilty to persistently making use of a public communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience or anxiety at Peterborough Crown Court yesterday (January 2).

He was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison, suspended for two years, ordered to complete 25 days rehabilitation activity requirement and given a £50 fine.

PC Jessica Martin, who investigated, said: "There is a huge strain on our demand hub with callers like Shah putting lives at risk when they block up the phone lines with hoax calls.

"The misuse of our 999 service will not be tolerated, nor will abusive behaviour towards our call handlers. They are here to help people in need of emergency assistance and do not deserve to be verbally abused."