Wednesday 28 October 2026Compiled from published reports. Every claim links to its source.

Ireland Crime

Every case followed from the first report to the sentence, or to where the reporting stopped.

Case No. 6762Persistently making telephone calls for the purpose of causing annoyance · Co. Dublin

Terminally ill man jailed over 4,819 nuisance calls to emergency services

Derek Guildea, a 61-year-old man who is terminally ill, made 4,819 calls to the Garda, National Ambulance Centre and 999 emergency control rooms between January 2021 and October 2022, according to Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. He pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently making telephone calls to cause annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. Judge Pauline Codd imposed a sentence of two and a half years with the final 18 months suspended, so he was jailed for one year, backdated to when he entered custody in October. The latest reported development is this sentence, published by the Irish Times on 16 January 2024.

  1. Reportednot reported
  2. Arrestednot reported
  3. Chargednot reported
  4. In courtnot reported
  5. Verdictnot reported
  6. Sentenced16 Jan
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet

Key facts

consolidated from all reports
What happened
Derek Guildea made a total of 4,819 phone calls to emergency services.
Where
The calls were made to the Garda emergency control room, the National Ambulance Centre emergency control room and the 999 emergency call answering service.
When
The calls were made on dates between January 2021 and October 2022.
Cause
Guildea said the calls occurred when he was drunk.
Other details
  • The volume of calls and ambulances sent to him affected emergency services' ability to respond to genuine calls, the court heard.
  • During a menacing phone call to a paramedic, Guildea said he would have him killed.
  • Guildea told another emergency service call taker that he would have his children killed.
  • The judge said Guildea would have received a longer sentence but for the fact that he is terminally ill.
  • Guildea has 18 previous convictions.
Charges
Guildea pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently making telephone calls for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety.
In court
The case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Pauline Codd.
Sentence
  • Judge Pauline Codd imposed a sentence of two and a half years, with the final 18 months suspended on conditions, so he was jailed for one year.
  • The suspension conditions include that Guildea not contact emergency services unless in genuine need, and then through a third party.
  • The sentence was backdated to when Guildea entered custody in October.
14 statements extracted from the articles
  • whatDerek Guildea made a total of 4,819 phone calls to emergency services. (irishtimes.com)
  • whereThe calls were made to the Garda emergency control room, the National Ambulance Centre emergency control room and the 999 emergency call answering service. (irishtimes.com)
  • whenThe calls were made between January 2021 and October 2022. (irishtimes.com)
  • causeGuildea said the calls occurred when he was drunk. (irishtimes.com)
  • chargeGuildea pleaded guilty to three counts of persistently making telephone calls for the purpose of causing annoyance, inconvenience or needless anxiety. (irishtimes.com)
  • courtThe case was heard at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceGuildea was jailed for one year. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceJudge Pauline Codd handed down a sentence of two and a half years. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe final 18 months of the sentence were suspended on conditions, including that Guildea not contact emergency services unless in genuine need and then through a third party. (irishtimes.com)
  • sentenceThe sentence was backdated to when Guildea went into custody in October. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGuildea made a threat during a menacing phone call to a paramedic that he would have him killed. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGuildea told another emergency service call taker that he would have his kids killed. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherThe judge said Guildea would have received a longer sentence but for the fact he is terminally ill. (irishtimes.com)
  • otherGuildea has 18 previous convictions. (irishtimes.com)

The reporting

newest first
  1. 16 Jan2024
    Sentencedirishtimes.com, first report
    Terminally ill man who made thousands of nuisance phone calls to emergency service jailed for a year

    Reports the sentence: two and a half years with the final 18 months suspended on conditions, backdated to when he entered custody in October. Also reports the total number of calls, the threats made, and that he has 18 previous convictions.

    convicted, Derek Guildea, 61, male, named, irish (judged from name)Derek Guildeavictim