A MAN who made hoax calls to the coastguard when he was a lifeboat volunteer to increase his chances of being selected to be on a rescue crew has been sentenced.
Leon Marandola, 20, made hoax calls over a two-month period between June and August 2019.
Marandola, who had joined the Buckie RNLI team as a volunteer in May 2019, admitted breaching the Communications Act by knowingly providing false information during an earlier hearing at Elgin Sherriff Court. The calls led to the coastguard sending out helicopters, coastguard rescue officers and RNLI lifeboats at an estimated cost of about £170,000.
Prosecutors said Marandola made the calls while he was near the lifeboat station to increase the likelihood he would be asked to join the rescue crew and gain more experience.
The 20-year-old, from Buckie, Moray, was told he must carry out 240 hours of unpaid work and be under supervision for two years when he was sentenced at Elgin Sheriff Court yesterday, while a Restriction of Liberty Order was also imposed on him.
The coastguard welcomed the sentencing.
Coastal operations area commander Ross Greenhill said: “Hoax calls are taken extremely seriously as they tie up vital life-saving resources and risk taking them away from those who are actually in grave danger which could have serious consequences.
“As in this case, we will always work with the relevant authorities to fully investigate and seek a prosecution if we suspect hoax calls are being made.
“This case stands out because the offender is someone who wanted to work alongside emergency services to help people and prevent loss of life at sea. Each time he made a false report, he put the safety of his fellow volunteers at the RNLI and HM Coastguard at risk and let down his local community.
“We hope the sentencing today makes others think twice before making false calls to any of the emergency services.”
The RNLI condemned the behaviour of those who make hoax calls. A spokeswoman said: “Calls of this nature, where the perpetrator knows no life is at risk, not only waste time and resources but also endanger the lives of those who could need our services, only to find them unavailable or unable to reach them in time.”
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