Asbo for disabled man after 10000 council calls

A disabled complainant has been given an Anti- Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) for pestering council staff with 10,000 phone calls in four months.

London, Apr 20 : A disabled complainant has been given an Anti- Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) for pestering council staff with 10,000 phone calls in four months.

Wheelchair-bound Robert Bullough, of Blackburn, made 681 calls in just one day and 5,000 calls over a five-week period to complain about the cost of home helps.

Some of the frustrated staff members had even decided to quit the job.

The court has now barred Bullough from all council buildings and from threatening staff or ringing officials for two years, except in an emergency.

He accepted calls were "a nuisance", but they did not cost him a penny, as they were free under his broadband package.

Jeff Cole, of Blackburn with Darwen Council, Lancs, told the magistrates that Bullough had called and harassed council call centre, social services, parking and data protection staff, forcing them to even consider resigning.

"It seemed quite peculiar and initially amusing. As time progressed there was a change in attitude and the effect the calls were having. The volume began to increase," The Sun quoted Cole, as saying.

"I spoke to staff and it became apparent their workload was being increased by Mr Bullough.

"At least one member of staff broke down in tears because of him," Cole told Blackburn JPs.

"The staff felt intimidated and some began to feel threatened," he added.

The staff was even allowed to terminate any further calls from Bullough.

However, Bullough remains stern on his behaviour and said now he will write instead.

"If they had helped me in the first place I wouldn't have had to contact them so many times," he said.

"This ASBO doesn't stop me writing letters - I can write as many as I like," he added.

ANI