THESE are some of the most bizarre crimes committed by criminals who appeared in court last month.

A man declaring "it's Ricky time" before committing a violent attack and an NHS time-waster with a foot fetish are among the weirdest criminals up in the dock in August.

With dozens of criminals jailed every month, we have compiled a list of those who committed the most bizarre crimes last month.

Ricky Jeans

Ricky Jeans, of Westgate in Chichester, has been convicted of robbery, possession of an offensive weapon in public and assault by beating – crimes committed within five days of each other in September last year.

The Argus: Ricky JeansRicky Jeans

On September 19, 2020, a man and woman were chatting on a bench in Hotham Park, Bognor, when they were approached by Jeans, who said he was in the area to buy drugs.

Following a brief conversation, Jeans became aggressive, and the two friends attempted to leave.

At this point, Jeans pushed the man back onto the bench.

The man, aged 22, got up again and tried to fend off Jeans, who then looked at his watch and declared “it’s Ricky time”.

The 37-year-old then tripped the man to the ground and carried out a sustained attack.

The man suffered head and facial injuries which required hospital treatment.

Jeans demanded their personal belongings, but the pair were able to get away and call police.

On September 24, Jeans approached a 39-year-old man who was walking along Bognor Road, Chichester, and demanded: “Empty your pockets or I’m going to smash you with a hammer”.

The victim was able to run to a nearby shop where he sought refuge, closely followed by Jeans, who was witnessed by several people to be in possession of a hammer.

Following enquiries, Jeans, who is unemployed and has 39 previous convictions for 85 offences, was identified and arrested in Bognor.

He was charged with robbery, possession of an offensive weapon in public and assault by beating.

He was remanded in custody and pleaded guilty to all offences.

Jeans was sentenced to a total of nine years’ imprisonment at Lewes Crown Court on August 12, comprising of six years in custody and three years on extended licence.

After sentencing, Sussex Police said: “It's now Ricky's time to serve his sentence.”

Richard William Cove

Richard William Cove often impersonated an elderly woman during prank calls, which cost the taxpayer £21,869.21.

While pretending to be an OAP, he would talk about his feet before encouraging the call handler to do the same.

The 45-year-old admitted making time-wasting calls to the NHS 111 advice line for more than two years.

Police eventually tracked him down and arrested him at his home in Boundary Road, Heene, Worthing.

PC David Quayle said: "He admitted making all the calls, and that they were all for his own enjoyment and personal benefit.

"He said he had a sexual foot fetish which he indulged during most of the calls."

Cove abused NHS 111, a free telephone and online service for the public to get advice on non-emergency medical situations, making 1,263 calls between April 2019 and April 2021.

He provided false personal details and medical ailments during his calls to the hotline, which is provided in Sussex by the South East Coast Ambulance Service NHS Foundation Trust.

Call handlers are supported by a variety of clinicians and Cove's fake ailments triggered follow ups from medical professionals.

Clinicians made return phone calls to the numbers he had provided and in some cases ambulances were even dispatched.

He provided one of a small number of addresses during the calls - with a member of the public complaining he kept being contacted by the NHS despite never using the 111 service.

Eventually police identified his number and arrested him at his home where he had been making calls on his landline.

Cove, of Boundary Road, Worthing, admitted one count of making malicious communications.

He will be sentenced at Worthing Magistrates Court on 13 September.

The Argus: Fardin FarjiFardin Farji

Fardin Farji has been responsible for years of theft, shoplifting, antisocial behaviour and drug-related offences in the Worthing.

Police said he has been a “prolific offender”, breaching of Community Protection Warnings, as well as a Community Protection Notice.

 

Officers applied for a Criminal Behaviour Order against the unemployed 28-year-old, who lives in Worthing, in a bid to curb his offending.

As part of the order, he has been banned from entering any Co-Op stores in England.

Failing to comply with these provisions will lead to a further offence being committed which could result in imprisonment.