A WOMAN who repeatedly harassed emergency services including one 999 call in which she threatened to douse herself in petrol has been given a chance to prove she has changed.

Ella Syme, of Ray Road in Bicester, had been given a restraining order after harassing emergency services with calls to police services 101 and 999 about nine times in just over six weeks.

Syme appeared before Oxford Magistrates' Court for breaching the order earlier this year and was handed a 10 week custodial sentence, suspended for 12 months.

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But having made two further phone calls to the emergency services since being sentenced the 33-year-old was brought back before the same court yesterday.

A number of the calls from Syme included threats to herself, including one claim that she had doused herself in petrol, the court heard.

On another occasion Syme called 999 for help after claiming she would hurt herself, and was found with a knife when officers arrived.

Syme's defence solicitor told the court of the defendant's various physical and mental health issues.

She argued a custodial sentence for Syme would be 'unjust' and claimed the calls are when the defendant 'herself felt in crisis' and sees it as 'a genuine emergency'.

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The solicitor continued to explain that Syme knows what she has done is wrong and is working with support workers and various mental health programmes.

Magistrate N Robinson said: "We are not going to sentence you today, we will defer sentencing for six months.

"This is a fairly unique case with special circumstances, and the fact you haven't offended in the past six months, and you are engaging with the people trying to help you. Things are looking really good, we don't think it would be the right thing to sentence you to custody today, we will look in six months."

Syme will appear before the same court on December 17.