A CO Fermanagh woman allegedly made up to 40 nuisance phone calls to police already under pressure from the pandemic, the High Court heard today.
Caroline Irwin (54) is accused of tying up resources by repeated and unnecessary requests for help.
Refusing her application for bail, a judge said: "There's almost a certainty she would commit further offences."
Irwin, of Coleshill Park in Enniskillen, is charged with two counts each of wasting police time and persistent improper use of a public electronic communications network.
The alleged offences were committed on January 4 and January 19 this year.
She phoned the police claiming to be in some form of distress, the court heard, with officers obliged to check on her safety each time.
Irwin was initially released, but returned to custody on suspicion of breaching conditions.
"There have been 40 calls," Mr Justice McFarland noted.
"That exposes those police officers during Covid, it takes them away from other policing duties which may be regarded as more important.
"We know how stretched police are normally in Co Fermanagh, but particularly during this Covid situation."
He held there were no conditions that could manage the potential for further offences.
The judge added: "She could return to making these phone calls, wasting police time and exposing the people of Fermanagh to a potential risk where officers are not available to assist them when genuine police intervention is required."
