Persistent Gloucester beggar receives civil injunction order

A man from Gloucester has received a civil injunction order following his persistent begging in the city centre.

The Gloucester Neighbourhood Policing team along with their colleagues at Project Solace successfully secured the order against Darren Brown at Gloucester and Cheltenham County Court on Thursday (28 November).

The order against Brown, of Park Road, Gloucester forbids him from:

1. Engaging in conduct which causes or is capable of causing alarm or harassment or distress to any person within the city of Gloucester

2. Entering or being in the area outlined red on the map

3. Asking any person for money at any time within the city of Gloucester

4. Obstructing the highway by sitting, standing or squatting on the footpath or street, or public highway within the city of Gloucester, with or without belongings or a dog, with any receptacle for collecting money or with his arm/hand outstretched.

The order is in place until 28 November 2020 and any breaches could result in Brown being sent to prison for contempt of court.

Steve Lindsay from Gloucester City Safe said: "Darren Brown has been carrying on his begging activities in the city for well over a year now, sometimes aggressively and this constitutes a public nuisance. 

"The partnership work of the local neighbourhood policing team and Solace has been fantastic in obtaining this injunction, which would prohibit begging within a defined area.

"It has been quite clear that Brown has refused any offers of help by agencies, as even when housed and receiving benefits, he continued to cause issues to local businesses whilst harassing members of the public."

PCSO Adam Stevens said "We work closely with our colleagues from Project Solace, Gloucester City Safe and the City Protection Officers to help those in genuine need of assistance to find housing and/or support. 

"We will take appropriate action against anyone who tries to trick members of the public into giving money under false pretences."

Solace officer Sam Higginson said: "Before taking enforcement action we followed a process of a verbal warning, a letter of concern and a final warning letter asking Mr Brown to stop his behaviour; at each stage he was also signposted to where he could receive support.

"Mr Brown is currently in suitable accommodation and has no need to beg, he chooses to ignore the warnings and therefore we had no choice but to try and control his behaviour using a civil injunction."