A woman, who made multiple hoax phone calls, including one which forced more than a dozen firefighters to respond to a fake fire, told police it was due to her failing mental health and she didn't mean it.
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Former Trangie woman, Sonya McMaster was charged with making a false call to an emergency service number, after she made a series of alarming calls to triple zero and a taxi service on August 28 last year.
According to court documents, the 34-year-old from Cargo first made a call to report a fire at an address in Trangie, about 75 kilometres west of Dubbo.
Two minutes after making the call, McMaster rang again to say she could see flames coming from the roof.
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Three firetrucks, along with 15 firefighters from both Narromine and Trangie responded, but arrived to find no fire.
Police said Trangie Fire Station captain Wade Haines requested the caller's details and was provided with McMaster's number.
Mr Haines called McMaster's phone when a woman answered and hung up on him.
On the same day, police said McMaster also made multiple fake calls to the Narromine United Services Memorial Club taxi service.
In the first call, McMaster identified herself as "Monique" and requested to be picked up from a home in Narromine.
When the taxi driver arrived at the home, she spoke with a woman named Monique, who according to court documents was the girlfriend of McMaster's ex-partner.
Later in the day, McMaster called the taxi again and asked to be picked up from an address in Trangie, telling them her name was "Bianca".
The driver travelled about 35 kilometres from Narromine to Trangie to pick up the passenger, when a man at the address said no woman was home and no one ordered a taxi.
As the day progressed McMaster also contacted Dubbo police to make a complaint about a woman, before contacting Narromine Police Station who asked why she made the hoax calls.
According to court documents, McMaster initially denied making the calls, but later told police her mental health had been causing her problems and she did make the calls, but didn't mean to.
Last year in Narromine Local Court, McMaster pleaded guilty. She was due to be sentenced in Dubbo Local Court, however the matter was adjourned and will return to court next month.
McMaster was jailed in December last year after pleading guilty to dangerous driving causing death following a crash which claimed the life of her friend Shani Hando.
Zaarkacha Marlan
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
Court and crime reporter at the Daily Liberal. Formerly the sole journalist for the Nyngan Observer, Narromine News and Trangie Advocate.
