A DRUNKEN man who made a series of bomb hoax calls to police has been jailed for eight months at Worcester Crown Court.

Recorder Denis Desmond said the sentence on 32-year-old Ashley Watson-Dar was a deterrent and a protection for the emergency services in case they were called out.

Watson-Dar, of Perrett Walk, Kidderminster, pleaded guilty to communicating false information about a bomb hoax. He was traced to his mother's address, where he had been using her mobile phone.

Michael Conry, prosecuting, said several 999 calls were made to West Mercia Police on September 24 saying there was someone with an explosive device. The caller maintained it was at an address near him and was abusive to the female call handler.

When he was arrested, he said he was very drunk and had fallen out with his girlfriend. He admitted that he never had a bomb.

Probation officer Ignatius Concannon said the background to the offence was alcohol. Watson-Dar had been drinking since he was 17 and he regularly mixed vodka and beer. Doctors had diagnosed him as an alcoholic and he had moved from Nottingham to Kidderminster to be with his mother. He was a sad and lonely man.

Amanda Tomkins, mitigating, said that Watson-Dar had recently moderated his drinking but the Recorder said the offence was a display of anger fuelled by alcohol.