AN ABUSIVE drunk threatened to shoot a 999 call handler after being thrown out of a town centre club.

Bernard Matsure, 53, of Hastings Road, Southend repeatedly threatened the control room call handler after calling police to report being unfairly kicked out of the venue.

He avoided jailed at Basildon Crown Court yesterday after he admitted to having a drink problem and insisted he’s now cut down on the booze.

Prosecuting Amy Woolfson said: “On March 1 last year at about 1am he called 999 and told the call handler he was being abused but wouldn’t give details.

“He told the worker police knew what had happened and asked him if he needed to get a gun. He then repeatedly threatened to shoot the handler.

“The call handler said he felt alarmed as this sort of thing had happened before and he was annoyed this man had used 999 lines to make the threat and hinder anyone who needed police help.”

Mitigating Alfred Underwood told the court his client’s Achilles’ heel was alcohol but that’s he’s now stopped drinking to excess.

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He said: “That night he had been out with friends and was thrown out of a nightclub. He was it was inappropriate and they had been too rough.

“He called police to report it and the second call he wanted to get them to respond to his earlier call. It was a foolish way of saying I will do this to get a result.

“His head was affected by the amount he has drunk that night.”

He told the court it was a relapse after he had reduced his drinking. He said it may be due to the Covid pandemic.

Sentencing Recorder John Caudle said: “You have got an alcohol and you need to get it sorted. You are liable to lose your job and take a downward spiral if you continue like this.

“It was a very unpleasant incident and people should be able to do their jobs without having to put up with this.”

He was handed a community order for two years, 100 hours unpaid work, 120 days alcohol abstinence requirement, 30 days of rehabilitation activity requirement and fined £100.

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