Man's Booze Ban After 999 Nicki Minaj Call

Nicki Minaj

The 23-year-old told the operator he was the American rapper and claimed there was a poltergeist in his house.

A man has been banned from drinking alcohol after dialling 999 and saying he was pop star Nicki Minaj.

Steven Brown, 23, from Cairn Walk in Crumlin, Co Antrim, made two calls in breach of a previous ASBO banning him from using the emergency number.

Belfast High Court heard a man first called at 10.15 am on Christmas Day claiming two men were making threats to kill him but was too intoxicated to provide further information.

Five minutes later, the same man rang 999 again and told operators he wanted to cancel the first call, the prosecution said.

It was during this second call that the man claimed to be the rapper Minaj and said there was a poltergeist in his house.

When police arrested him, Brown did not deny making the calls and told officers he felt there really was an emergency when he dialled the number.

The prosecution said he had recently been released "after serving a sentence for offences of a similar nature" and that he was an alcoholic.

A defence barrister said Brown had just been released from hospital, was taking medication and had consumed alcohol, against the advice of doctors.

The judge released Brown on his own bail of £250, banned him from possessing and consuming alcohol and from dialling 999, except in an emergency.

Lord Justice Coghlin, who also imposed a 10pm-7am curfew, said: "This man is essentially a nuisance, which no doubt is a product of his alcoholism."