A WOMAN who repeatedly dialled 999 even when she had been banned from doing so has been allowed back into the community.

Christa Wood, 49, appeared at Dumbarton Sheriff Court last week from custody after previously admitting charges including threatening a neighbour and assaulting police.

A sheriff was concerned about sending her back to her home in Durban Avenue, Dalmuir, but ordered that she get the psychiatric help needed in the next two years.

The court heard how on August 20, around 6.40pm, police were on patrol and were instructed to attend a 999 call stating “she couldn’t go on”.

The woman also called on two other occasions the same day and requested police, “shouting and balling”, said fiscal depute Claire O’Hagan.

Wood called 999 again but then refused to answer the door when police attended and told them simply to come in.

Wood was found at the property smoking cigarettes and refusing to answer questions about why she called police.

She was arrested and started to be verbally abusive. She said: “F*** help me, just listen.”

Two days later, she again called 999 despite being subject to an agreement she made with the court not to misuse the service.

Wood told the call handler she was being harassed by everybody and couldn’t get help.

She said she had been hit by a car the night before.

Ms O’Hagan said: “She was aware she was not allowed to call 999 and was cut off. She called back and said she was not getting the help she needed and was in agony. She tried calling 111.

“The call was terminated by the handler after she was not listening to advice she was being given.”

Police attended and found Wood safe and well, but upset.

She called 999 again and was arrested, to which she replied: “I don’t know what to say.”

A few days later, on August 30, the neighbour returned to her Durban Avenue home.

She had been staying away because of previous issues with Wood and now ran into her again.

Wood shouted, “You f***ing b**ch” and the neighbour left again.

When the neighbour returned later, she found Wood in her home. Wood went into the garden and started taking flowers and dirt from the garden and returned to her own garden.

The neighbour called police and they tried to arrest her but she kicked out as she was being handcuffed. She hit two officers in the chest area. She pulled at another one causing an injury.

Wood later pleaded guilty to shouting and swearing on August 20 while on bail, and to breaking an order not to misuse the 999 system.

She admitted shouting, swearing, entering the garden of the neighbour, uttering threats of violence and tearing flowers and plants within a planter on August 30.

She also pleaded guilty to three assaults on cops. Wood was on three bail orders at the time.

Sheriff John Hamilton questioned how the court could ensure Wood got the appropriate level of care. And he said the neighbour’s “heart will sink” when she sees Wood.

He imposed a two-year community payback order with supervision by social workers. She is also required to adhere to the treatment plan given to her by mental health specialists.

Her progress will be reviewed on January 28.

The sheriff told Wood: “It’s important the more you comply, the better you will be and others will be.”

He added a non-harassment order for two years to protect the neighbour, stating: “You don’t speak to her - nothing.”