Masterton man makes 19 calls to 111

The 57-year-old made 19 phone calls between December 6 and January 1 to emergency services, prosecuting Sergeant Garry Wilson told Masterton District Court.

A Masterton man who made 111 calls 19 times in less than a month appeared in Masterton District Court this week for using a phone for fictitious purposes.

The 57-year-old made 19 phone calls between December 6 and January 1 to emergency services, prosecuting Sergeant Garry Wilson said.

"On January 2, the defendant again rang 111, claiming he was having a heart attack.

"He has been classified as a nuisance caller," Mr Wilson said.

The man pleaded guilty to the charge.

Defence lawyer James Elliot said the man was a long-standing mental health services client.

"Part of that illness is that he believes he has an ongoing heart and health problem.

"Given the number of calls, he admits that he understands what he did," Mr Elliot said.

Judge Barbara Morris said the man had clearly been making the calls wanting attention and was clogging up the line for people in genuine need of help.

"You need to stop, you are crying wolf. If you have a genuine heart attack and you need someone to come quickly, they will not do so in the short period after [these] phone calls.

"It's critically important ... that you stop using 111 in the way that you have, unless there's an absolutely, genuine emergency."

Judge Morris imposed a sentence, to come up if called upon within the next 12 months.