A bungling hoax caller was easily caught after he dialled 999 to report a fake gunman – but gave the description of HIMSELF to police.
Jamie Bagnall, 20, phoned the emergency services pretending there was a man wielding a gun in West Bromwich, West Mids, in July.
When armed officers arrived at the scene in Law Street they found no trace of the alleged offender.
However, they did find the prank caller – because Bagnall’s description of the armed man’s clothing was exactly the same as what he was wearing.
Wolverhampton Crown Court heard baffled police then arrested Bagnall and found his mobile phone and SIM card tucked into his shoe.
Phone records linked the SIM card to the emergency call and he was charged with wasteful deployment of police.
Bagnall of Selly Oak, Birmingham, pleaded guilty and was sentenced to a two-year supervision order on Wednesday.
Ms Rhiannon Jones, prosecuting, said: “Police received a report that a man was in the street placing a hand gun in and out of his pocket.
“There was no sign of a person with a gun but they did see Mr Bagnall.
“He was wearing clothing matching the description given to the police.
“When officers searched the defendant they found a mobile phone on him but it didn’t have a SIM card.
“They took him to the police station and carried out a search and they found a SIM card tucked into his shoe.
“The defendant said the call was made by a cousin.
“When they questioned him about the SIM card in his shoe he said he didn’t know it was there and that his cousin must have placed it there.
“The police discovered that the call had been made from the SIM card in the defendant’s shoe.”
Bagnall was also ordered to pay #100 costs and a victim surcharge of £60.
