A BRADFORD man accused of making more than 1,200 heavy breathing phone calls to several care homes has been bailed to appear in court at the end of March to answer the charges.

Sadiq Mansoor, 34, of Hollybank Gardens, attended Bradford Magistrates’ Court on Friday to face eight charges relating to four care homes in the Skipton area.

However, the case was adjourned at the request of prosecutor Richard Davies who said he had asked police for more details of dates and incidents.

“Police have made reference that there may be another six care homes listed and could total more than 16,000 calls.

“In fairness to Mr Mansoor the matter needs to be looked at completely.”

The charges brought before the court on Friday related to incidents alleged to have taken place between January 1, 2019 and August 7, 2019.

Four of the charges alleged Mansoor sent ‘communication/article of an indecent/offensive nature’, namely phone calls, within those dates, which were, in whole or part, of an indecent or grossly offensive nature for the purpose of causing distress or anxiety to the recipient.

Mansoor, who appeared in court dressed in grey sweat pants and a grey hooded top, also faced four charges of ‘harassment without violence’ between the same dates where he was said to have made 1,210 phone calls, during the hours of darkness, to the care homes and to a particular member of staff at each of the homes.

The Crown alleged the defendant had ‘pursued a course of conduct which amounted to the harassment of staff (at the home) and which you knew or ought to have known amounted to the harassment of them.

Mansoor was said to have made 155 heavy breathing phone calls to one home between June 28 and July 30 last year.

He is alleged to have made 201 heavy breathing calls to another home between June 27 and July 16; a further 671 to another home between January 1 2019 and August 7, and 188 heavy breathing calls to another home between June 28 and July 16.

The allegations are contrary to the Malicious Communications Act of 1988 and the Protection of Harassment Act 1977.

Mr Davies said it was necessary to have a full review of the charges and the dates the allegations referred to and asked for a short adjournment so obtain this information.

No plea was entered at this stage and the case was adjourned to the magistrates’ court on March 30.

Mansoor was given unconditional bail to appear on that date.