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A Worthing man has been sentenced for making dozens of malicious and fetish-motivated hoax calls to Sussex Police, during which he posed as an elderly woman and tried to lure call handlers into conversations about feet.
Richard Cove, 49, of Boundary Road, was found to have made over 30 recorded calls to the police non-emergency 101 line between June 2023 and September 2024. During the calls, Cove used fake identities, including “Helen Cheeseman”, and withheld his number to mask his behaviour.
Fetish-Driven Conversations
Cove repeatedly asked call handlers about the size of their feet, and encouraged them to say phrases such as “cheesy feet” and “smelly feet”. These calls often began with trivial queries before steering into inappropriate territory.
In one instance, he called 60 times in a single day. Police eventually identified him after he repeatedly targeted specific departments and officers, linking him to the disturbing pattern of harassment.
Sentence Handed Down at Worthing Magistrates’ Court
Cove was arrested and later pleaded guilty to malicious communications on 8 April. He returned for sentencing on Monday, 7 July, where he was given:
- 10 weeks’ imprisonment, suspended for 24 months
- A five-year Criminal Behaviour Order, including:
- A ban on calling 999 unless in a genuine emergency
- A requirement to use his real name and not withhold his number
- A restriction that all non-emergency police contact must be made in person with valid ID
- 200 hours of unpaid community work
- £85 in court costs
“Gross Misuse of Resources”
Investigating officer Rose Horan said:
“Our phone lines are open to help people in genuine need.Richard Cove deliberately targeted female officers—some working in high-pressure roles involving serious cases—purely for his own gratification. His behaviour was a gross misuse of public resources.”
The calls, which lasted over three hours in total, caused significant disruption to police staff, some of whom were engaged in sensitive investigations, including sexual offences and online child exploitation.
Police Reminder: Use 101 and 999 Responsibly
Sussex Police reiterated that the 101 service is a non-emergency channel for genuine enquiries and that misuse can delay help for others in need.
