Music

British man jailed for Nicki Minaj impersonation on emergency hotline

by Jesse Locke

A man Belfast Live has called the “999 pest” was sentenced to jail time for repeatedly crying wolf to emergency services (999 is the British equivalent of 911, for any non-anglophiles out there).

On the first of two Christmas Day phone calls, 24-year-old Stephen Brown claimed two men were making threats to kill him but that he was too intoxicated to provide more information. He then called back within five minutes, told the operators he was Nicki Minaj and said there was a poltergeist in his house. In short, this may be something on par with the Hall & Oates fan hallucinating vampires.

The fake Roman Zolansk was given eight months in jail (later reduced to four) for breaching an Anti-Social Behaviour Order. His lawyer argued that Brown was an alcoholic and “his own worst enemy.” The judge agreed that the Jerky Boy wannabe was more of a “nuisance” than a threat, but could be hurting those in the midst of a true emergency when police resources are already stretched. Brown was previously banned from calling 999 along with possessing and consuming alcohol. Note to male Nicki Minaj impersonators: Don’t drink and dial.