Begging ban for Bradford man who has home and claims benefits
Robert Hill was given his last warning in February.
A man who has been persistently involved in begging in Bradford West despite having a home and receiving benefits has been given a five-year order banning him from begging anywhere in the Bradford District.
Robert Hill, aged 41, from Bradford was given a Criminal Behaviour Order when he appeared at Bradford Magistrates Court on 7 October last week.
He was sentenced for a total of nine offences of begging which he received a Community Order including a 14-day curfew.
Hill’s offending has been monitored for over 18 months by the Bradford ASB Team and due to ongoing nuisance and anti-social behaviour, he was served with various interventions and warnings.
He received his final red warning in February this year and has been offered regular support throughout.
The police and council continue to work with support agencies and charities to divert those in genuine need away from street begging and get them the help they need, but at the same time they continue to receive large numbers of complaints about aggressive begging in the city centre and across the Bradford District.
Sergeant Ceri Lloyd, of Bradford District Police, said: “CBOs are reserved only for the most serious of offenders and only when all other avenues have been explored. The ASB Unit works closely with partner agencies, to ensure that individuals are given every opportunity to address their issues and receive the support they need.
“Helping those in genuine need on the streets of the city by seeing they get the right kind of support remains a key focus of our partnership work carried out with the council and other third sector agencies.
“Unfortunately there are those that refuse to engage and persist in aggressive begging behaviour that has a detrimental effort on the lives of other people and on the individuals themselves.
“We hope this order will give Robert Hill the incentive to engage and get the support he needs, and we encourage the public to assist us by reporting any breaches of the order if they do see him begging.”