A would firefighter who was not fit enough to join the brigade called out his heroes on hoax calls.

Brian Garrett, of Witham Road, Braintree, called out fire crews 13 times in the space of five months, Chelmsford magistrates heard.

And the court heard yesterday every time Garrett made a hoax call it cost the Essex Fire Service £166 to attend the false alarm.

In total it cost the brigade more than £2,000 to attend all the hoax call outs.

Garrett, 22, admitted three charges of causing false fire alarms between February and July. On June 23 this year Garrett had received a criminal discharge for ten offences of a similar nature.

Margaret Currie, prosecuting, said Garrett was eventually stopped by police near to a telephone box in his road after a hoax call was made from the pay phone.

Police were aware hoax calls were being made from the area and raced to the call box once a call had been made.

Ms Currie said: "He was eventually caught on July 12. Police officers asked him, 'What were you doing there.'

"Garrett replied 'I was walking home from the pub'."

Garrett at first denied making the calls, but later when he was questioned by police he admitted calling out the fire brigade.

Ms Currie said the crimes had led to financial costs being incurred by the brigade - adding up to more than £2,158.

Peter Richards, mitigating, said Garrett had carried out the offences because he had wanted to be a firefighter.

He said: "He admires the fire brigade and if he was fitter he would have joined."

Mr Richards added: "He is a young man, with no criminal history, who has committed only 13 offences in a five-month period."

Garrett was released on unconditional bail and the hearing was adjourned for pre-sentence reports.

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.