A man who relentlessly harassed police and NHS call handlers with more than 1,200 nuisance calls centred around his sexual foot fetish has avoided jail, following a sentencing at Worthing Magistrates’ Court.
Richard Cove, 49, bombarded the police’s non-emergency 101 line and NHS 111 service using false names including “Michael Foot” and “Helen Cheeseman” in a bizarre campaign to steer conversations toward feet, asking operators about their shoe sizes and trying to manipulate them into saying phrases such as “cheesy feet” and “smelly feet.”
Cove, who was already infamous among NHS operators as “The Foot Fetish Caller,” pleaded guilty to wasting police time. He received a 10-week prison sentence, suspended for 24 months. This follows a prior 16-week suspended sentence for similar offences involving NHS 111 calls.
Prosecutor Natalie Roepke told the court that Cove admitted to being sexually aroused by feet and acknowledged indulging this fetish during the calls. “He was asking call handlers about their feet and height, and telling them about his own feet,” she said. While Cove denied deriving physical gratification from the calls, he admitted enjoying the conversations.
Investigating officer Rose Horan said, “He specifically targeted female officers, some working in departments dealing with serious sexual offences and child abuse. His behaviour wasted scarce public resources and was designed purely to indulge his fetish.”
As part of his sentence, Cove was issued a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order. The order bans him from calling 999 unless in a genuine emergency, requires him to use his real name, and forbids withholding his number. He must also report non-emergency issues in person at a police station and has been ordered to complete 200 hours of unpaid community service and pay £85 in court costs.
Written By Rodney Mbua
