A nuisance repeatedly called emergency services operators because he was lonely and wanted a date, a court heard.

Paul Davies made 17 calls to police, firefighters and the ambulance service in one day.

But when the 38-year-old was rebuffed he abused operators while reciting rap lyrics.

Davies, formerly of The Shrubbery care home in Frindsbury Road, Rochester, admitted making use of public communications to cause annoyance.

Maidstone Crown Court was told he made eight calls to police, five to the fire service and four to the ambulance service from phone boxes in the early hours of January 16.

“An example of the type of calls made were effectively asking the receiver for a date and when it was pointed out it was a misuse of the system and for emergency calls only, the defendant became abusive with the call handler,” said prosecutor Keith Yardy.

Davies, who has previous convictions for 176 offences including indecent exposure, being drunk and disorderly and breaching anti-social behaviour orders, later told police he was lonely.

He also admitted affray and making threats to kill a fellow resident at the care home on January 18.

Davies was angry and armed with a scalpel when he threatened another man living at the rehabilitation accommodation for adult male offenders.

Davies, now of no fixed address, was jailed for a total of 12 months for those offences.

He will be sentenced by magistrates for the nuisance calls after Judge Martin Joy said the case had been sent to the court in error.