Man jailed for bogus emergency calls

LONDON, March 31 (UPI) -- A British man who said he loved seeing flashing lights was sentenced to four years in prison Monday for making scores of bogus calls to emergency services.

Police labeled David Mason, 57, of Bolton, Greater Manchester, the worst phone hoaxer in all of Britain for costing taxpayers as much as $2 million in false alarm charges, The Daily Mail reports.

Mason pleaded guilty in Bolton Crown Court to 13 counts of causing a public nuisance.

During one 16-month period, police say Mason made an average of one call a week sending police and paramedics to non-existent brawls, blazes, car accidents and bomb alerts.

Mason even kept a diary, which police say included tape recordings of bogus calls he made to the emergency services, of his "work."

Police say after his arrest Mason told them he derived "excitement" from seeing fire trucks, police cars and ambulances arrive near his home with their lights flashing.