Salisbury man sentenced for making abusive calls to emergency numbers

A man from Salisbury has been sentenced for misusing the emergency call number by being abusive and sexually explicit.

Richard Bowles, 51, of Woodstock Road, Salisbury, was sentenced at Salisbury Crown Court on August 29 after pleading guilty to seven counts of sending indecent or grossly offensive electronic communications with intent to cause distress or anxiety. 

Bowles was sentenced to a 5-year Criminal Behaviour Order preventing him from contacting emergency and non-emergency services and acting in an inappropriate sexualised manner.

If this order is breached, a custodial sentence may be granted.

In addition, he must complete an 18-month Community Order, undertake 20 rehabilitative days with the Probation Service, complete 120 hours of unpaid work and pay a statutory surcharge to the courts.

The court heard how, between December 2022 and July 2025, Bowles called 999 requesting to speak to the ambulance service 1,920 times. The total cost of these incidents is estimated to be around £186,000.

PC Hannah Cranham said: "Members of the public who work for Wiltshire Police, South Western Ambulance Service, and other non-emergency NHS 111 services do so to help people. They do not go to work to receive abuse. Bowles' behaviour is nothing short of unacceptable. He is a persistent offender acting for his own gratification.

“Many of the calls involved abusive and sexually explicit behaviour. The implementation of the Criminal Behaviour Order speaks volumes about Bowles’ offending and how it will not be tolerated.”

Mike Jones, Crime & Violence Reduction Manager for South Western Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust, said: "Bowles has continued to be one of the most prolific offenders of sexually explicit and crude behaviour towards colleagues. Not only does this behaviour have a significant cost to the public purse, money which cannot be spent on delivering great patient care, but the personal impact is vast. 

"Colleagues join the ambulance service to help people. They do not expect to be sworn at, abused and subject to graphic sexual harassment for the job they do. Many colleagues have had to endure Bowles's abuse purely for his own gratification which has ultimately taken them away from providing help to those in need. Colleagues have a difficult enough job, dealing with people at what is often their greatest time of need.

"The sentencing sends a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable. We'd like to thank Wiltshire Police for their investigation into Bowles's behaviour and we will continue to work with our police colleagues and partners to relentlessly pursue those who seek to abuse and misuse our services."