AN 85-YEAR-OLD woman has been banned from calling Gwent Police on 999 unless it is a “genuine emergency or life-threatening situation” after a restraining order was imposed.

The order was imposed on Mary Hughes, of The Walk, Blaina, at Newport Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard how the pensioner had contacted the police with regard to incidents relating to a dispute she was embroiled in with a neighbour.

Richard Costley, representing Hughes, said his client looked after an autistic nephew and they had been subjected to “name-calling and taunting”.

MORE NEWS

Hughes had been charged with two counts of allegedly wasting police time on December 1 and December 2, 2019.

These charges were dismissed by the court but Judge Martin Brown imposed a non-conviction restraining order against her which will last for 12 months.

The order prevents her from “contacting the Gwent Police force via the 999 or 101 systems other than in a genuine emergency or life-threatening situation”.