The unnamed woman from Pirmasens in the western state of Rhineland-Palatinate told a judge in a local court that she was so annoyed by the unending stream of calls from marketing companies last August that she snapped and blew a whistle into the receiver.
She was hoping just to deter the company from calling her again, but ended up giving herself a criminal record - and the female call-centre employee long-term hearing problems and tinnitus due to the effort she put into the high-pitched blast.
Finding her guilty of bodily harm, the judge fined the 61-year-old €800. She initially appealed the fine but decided to pay it shortly before a hearing scheduled for Tuesday.
