A DEPRESSED man claimed he had taken an overdose of 64 paracetamol and threatened to throw himself off a motorway bridge near Worcester.

Carl Myatt, who had made previous prank calls to the police, broke the terms of his anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) which ordered him not to contact the emergency services or encourage others to do so unless it was a genuine emergency.

Myatt has already been subject to a community order for wasting police time after making drunk calls to the police and swearing down the phone.

The court was told how the 22-year-old of Victoria Place, Kidderminster, broke the terms of his three-year Asbo, imposed on March 12, by initially making a call to the mental health team at Kidderminster which created a log in the system.

Kate Price, prosecuting, said a community psychiatric nurse then called him back but there was no answer. He then phoned the mental health team in Worcester where another community psychiatric nurse took the call and became concerned for him.

Mrs Price said: “He told him he had taken a number of paracetamol – 64 tablets.

“He was vague about his location but admitted being in the Hartlebury area. The nurse believed he was in need of medical attention so phoned an ambulance for him.”

He was taken by ambulance to Worcestershire Royal Hospital in Worcester where he again told staff he had taken 64 paracetamol but then absconded from the hospital and had to be returned by police.

Blood tests proved normal and there was found to be no medical reason for him to be in hospital.

Mrs Price said: “The Crown submits, had this been a not guilty plea, I would be applying to remand him in custody based on the threats that he was going to throw himself off a bridge on the motorway.”

But Miguel Blanco, defending, said he would not really have thrown himself off the bridge.

He said: “I think this is a bit of a different scenario. It should be treated as a cry for help. All he wanted was someone to talk to but he has gone about it in the most inappropriate way possible. He’s a man suffering from depression.”

Mr Blanco said Myatt told him he had taken the paracetamol but had vomited it out which was why it did not show up in his blood, although Mrs Price said it would have shown up even if this had happened.

Mr Blanco said Myatt has not been drinking for the last four months although he was a chronic alcoholic.

Magistrates ordered a report to be prepared to decide on sentence and the case was adjourned until July 4. He was bailed on condition he live and sleep at Victoria Place, report to Kidderminster police station and co-operate with probation in the preparation of a pre-sentence report.