Daniel McTomney, 25, of Seventh Street, Horden, was sentenced at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates’ Court on August 4, following guilty pleas to causing wasteful employment of police and harassment without violence. The first offence involved making several false reports between June 5 and August 3, to the police, ambulance, crisis team and Coast Guard. For this, McTomney received 12 weeks in prison, with the court saying the offence was so serious that only custody was justified. He also admitted harassing a woman repeatedly contacting her between July 24 and August 3. McTomney received a further four weeks’ imprisonment, to run concurrently, and a restraining order lasting until August 3, 2028.