Mum with tragic past who used to live in Ellesmere Port is jailed for hoax 999 calls

A MOTHER cleared of the manslaughter of her infant son more than 10 years ago has been jailed for 16 months – for her 29th ASBO breach.

Gaynor Thomas’s life had been wrecked when her 10-week-old son Dominick died from suffocation at her then home in Tennyson Road, Ellesmere Port, in 1999, Mold Crown Court was told.

She was charged with the deliberate suffocation of the tot, after it was claimed she had accidently rolled on to him in bed.

The case against her was thrown out by the trial judge at the end of the prosecution case in 2000.

Despite the acquittal, her life had never been the same, said Robin Boag, defending, at Chester Crown Court last week.

Thomas, now of Butterton Road, Rhyl, had turned to drink and when drunk she would repeatedly dial 999 for no reason. She was placed on an ASBO not to use the 999 system unless it was a genuine emergency, and was also banned from using the non-emergency 101 system, but had 28 convictions for breaching the order and six convictions for misusing the telecommunications system.

At about 6.40pm on November 25, North Wales Police received a 999 call from a kiosk in Grange Road, Rhyl, from a woman who was drunk. She told how she could not feel her left foot and wanted to ‘chop it off’, said Caroline Harris, prosecuting.

With the aid of CCTV operators, police located Thomas, who was described as being ‘highly intoxicated and aggressive’. She was taken by ambulance to hospital but there were no medical concerns and she was subsequently arrested.

When interviewed, she said she could not remember making the call.

Mr Boag said his client had no previous convictions when her son died and she was charged with manslaughter. After her acquittal, Mr Boag said he could remember coming out of Chester Crown Court and Thomas asking him ‘what do I do now?’. She no longer had care of her daughters.

“Her life was wrecked,” he said. “The drink then took a great hold.”

Judge Nicolas Parry jailed her for 12 months for the latest ASBO breach with an additional four months from an earlier suspended sentence imposed for precisely the same thing.

“The time has come for the public to be given a rest from you, not only a rest but protection,” the judge told her.

He said it was a sad case, she was clearly vulnerable, and that was why she had been dealt with ‘extremely leniently time and time again’.