Nuisance beggar who breached Fareham town centre ban this year has been banned from area again

Rebecca Connelly was issued a Criminal Behaviour Order after pleading guilty to several offences of begging and public order incidents at Portsmouth Magistrates’ Court on Friday November 22.

Previously the 28-year-old had been banned from the town centre on Monday July 1, after she admitted approaching members of the public and begging for money.

But less than a week later she admitted to breaching that order the day after she received the ban.

Her most recent ban relates to offences that occurred in Fareham town centre between August and November this year.

The court heard Connelly would approach people in the street and businesses, as well as motorists in their cars, asking for food and money.

Magistrates handed her a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order, lasting until November 2021.

The conditions, which will also be advertised locally to retailers in the town centre, include not to enter, sleep, or remain in area of the town centre - including car parks - specified by the court, unless an appointment has already been made with a specified service.

Other conditions include not to sleep or remain in any residential communal block or hall way where is not a resident in the borough of Fareham and Gosport. She must not approach a member of the public and actively ask for money, goods or sit or loiter outside any premises in either borough.

Neighbourhoods Policing Team Inspector Richard Thompson said: ‘This has taken a lot of hard work from my team and the officer leading the case, PC Karen Stevenson, but it was in the best interest of our community.

‘We hope that businesses and residents are reassured that we will take action against those who persistently break the law in this way.

‘We know that anti-social behaviour can have a negative impact on those who work and live in the town, and we will look at all powers available to us to bring those responsible to justice.’

In October, Fareham Borough Council launched a free card to help residents donate to a homeless shelter as a way to deter begging. The cards, which are bio-degradeable, are available from the reception of the Civic Offices, One Community shop in Fareham Shopping Centre and the Citizens Advice Bureau.