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‘999 is not a dating site’: ‘Lonely’ man made repeated calls asking for blonde officer to be his girlfriend

Darren Cran. Picture by Wullie Marr / DC Thomson
Darren Cran. Picture by Wullie Marr / DC Thomson

A “lonely” man has been warned 999 is “not a dating site” after bombarding the number with requests for blonde policewomen to come round to his home for sex.

Darren Cran dialled 999 a total of 56 times in the space of just four months, making crude sexual comments and often refusing to get off the line.

When officers asked the 29-year-old if he thought his behaviour was appropriate, Cran replied: “Of course. Who else could help me find a blonde?”

Fiscal depute Andrew McMann told Aberdeen Sheriff Court Cran phoned 999 four times between 2.30am and 3.30am on May 7 last year.

None of the calls related to emergencies, with Cran instead “stating he was lonely and wished female officers to attend his address”.

‘Refused to clear the line’

The call handler advised Cran and warned him about the inappropriate use of the emergency number.

But Cran ignored the advice and dialled 999 again at 3.35am.

Mr McMann said: “The accused stated he wanted a blonde female officer to attend at his home and that he wished her to be his girlfriend.”

He was again warned about misuse of the number and officers eventually traced him and spoke to him.

On July 14 Cran made two more calls to 999 when there was no emergency.

At 12.15am on July 16 he dialled 999 and immediately hung up, causing officers to be sent to his address to check on his welfare.

Another call followed at 12.32am, when Cran “refused to clear the line” and forced the operator to terminate the call.

Police found him intoxicated

Mr McMann said Cran immediately redialled 999 and asked the service advisor if they were single then made a crude sexual remark.

In another call, Cran called the service advisor “babe” and “sweetheart” and asked if they were single.

Between 1.15am and 1.30am on the same day, Cran made a further five calls to the emergency number and “repeatedly asked those service advisors if they were single”.

Police were again tasked with attending at Cran’s address and again found him intoxicated.

In total, across July 16, Cran made 17 calls to 999.

Between July 23 and 25 there were a further 13 calls.

In one of the calls, Cran asked for a blonde female police officer and was told it was “an emergency line and not a dating site”.

At 5.02 am on July 25 Cran phoned 999 saying he “wished a blonde female police officer to be his girlfriend”.

When the call was terminated he immediately phoned back with the same request, before two further calls the same day.

Mr McMann said: “On August 2 last year at 3.45am the accused called 999 stating he wished an officer to attend because he wanted a s***.”

Cran spoke to 44 different call handlers

Two more similar calls followed and officers once more had to be sent to speak to him.

In the early hours of August 26 Cran made a number of calls, prompting officers to visit his home again.

In total, between May 7 and August 26 last year, Cran called 999 56 times and spoke to 44 different call handlers.

Cran, of George Street, Aberdeen, pled guilty to making the nuisance calls and making offensive and sexual remarks.

Sheriff Lesley Johnston said a court-ordered social work report referenced Cran’s mental health and asked Paul Barnett, his solicitor, if he thought a psychiatric report would be beneficial.

Mr Barnett agreed, adding: “There is a concerning pattern forming.

“He has a very limited record.

“This behaviour seems to be something that’s become regular in the last year or so. A psychiatric report would be of assistance.”

Sheriff Johnston deferred the sentence until next month for the report to be prepared.

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