Police told Wollongong Local Court on Monday Teresa Schokker’s constant harassing of front line workers with apparently frivolous phone calls had caused emergency service personnel to visit her home once every second day on average since the start of the year.

They said on the majority of occasions, Schokker was taken to Wollongong Hospital and told to wait in the emergency department to see a doctor, however left after a short period of time, returned home then phoned emergency services again.

Court documents said Schokker’s actions had put such a “strain” on the Illawarra’s health and emergency services resources that numerous meetings had taken place between police, paramedics, health services and Schokker and her psychologist in a bid to stop the behaviour.

“The agenda was to stop the accused from calling emergency services and Lifeline unless she is in a genuine life-threatening situation,” police wrote in documents tendered during Schokker’s bail application over allegations she threatened to stab her case worker.

The court heard Schokker had brought a knife to the Community Mental Health office in Wollongong once in August and threatened to stab another case worker at the time. She was charged with a single count of carrying a knife in a public place.

However, it is alleged Schokker made similar threats to her new case worker over the phone last Thursday morning, less than 12 hours after being discharged from hospital.

Police arrest Schokker around noon the same day and charged her with using a carriage service to harass. 

She allegedly told police she’d planned to buy a knife from the supermarket and stab her case worker because “he won’t help me”.

Magistrate Susan McGowan described the matter as “alarming” in court on Monday and refused to release Schokker on bail, saying the protection of the community and intended victim was paramount.

The case was adjourned to March next year for a comprehensive psychological evaluation to take place.