A hoax caller who police say “has been a long term problem in the High Wycombe area” has been jailed for a string of offences.

Iftikar Aslam, of Chiltern Avenue in High Wycombe, was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison and given a Criminal Behaviour Order – which prohibits him owning a mobile telephone – for persistently making hoax calls to the emergency services.

Detectives said the 22-year-old repeatedly behaves in an anti-social manner in the town centre and Castlefield as part of a “small faction that cause harm and distress to the overriding majority of law-abiding residents”.

Aslam pleaded guilty to six counts of sending a false message by public electronic communication network to cause annoyance, inconvenience and anxiety and one count of persistently make use of public communications network to cause annoyance, inconvenience and anxiety, at High Wycombe Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.

He was sentenced to 10 weeks’ imprisonment for breaching a suspended sentence and a further 20 weeks’ imprisonment for the hoax calls charges.

PC Chris Allman, Anti-Social Behaviour Officer for High Wycombe, said: “Aslam has been a long term problem in the High Wycombe area, behaving in an anti-social manner in the town centre and Castlefield.

“He has previously held a two year ASBO which expired in 2013 and has come to police attention since then.

“He appears to have a fascination with fire and a long term history of hoax calls to both Police and the Fire Service.

“He has been a part of a small faction within his home area of Castlefield, High Wycombe, that cause harm and distress to the overriding majority of law abiding Castlefield residents. Due to the nature of his hoax calls he is also a drain on the emergency services.

“The calls also cause distress to innocent residents when he has given their addresses for the emergency services to attend.

“I am pleased to see him given a prison sentence and a Criminal Behaviour Order and I hope that this will deter him from committing further crimes and anti-social behaviour activity.

“If anyone has any concerns about anti-social behaviour, please contact police via 101.”

Aslam’s Criminal Behaviour Order will be in place until August 18, 2017, and prohibits him from possessing a mobile telephone.

The below prohibitions apply to: possessing a mobile phone, whether it is his or any other person’s property and being in possession of any item used to light or cause fire or any item which may be used as an accelerant.

He is also not allowed to call the emergency services unless in a genuine emergency and is not allowed to encourage others to make false or hoax calls.

Steve Baker, Thames Valley Police arson reduction advisor, said: “Buckinghamshire Fire and Rescue Service works closely with Thames Valley Police to investigate all incidents of arson and hoax calls.

“Hoax calls can put lives at risk, and we are pleased that this case has had a positive outcome and hope it proves a deterrent to others”.