COURT RULING MAY LEAD TO NATIONAL BAN ON BEGGARS
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/story.jsp?story=435983
By Danielle Demetriou
22 August 2003
A judge has banned a drug addict from begging in a move that may result in councils being empowered to banish beggars from the streets.
The judgment yesterday, made at Manchester County Court, stated that Leonard Hockey, 51, would face jail if he was caught begging on the city's streets.
Within hours of the judgment, at least one other council had said that it was considering using injunctions to eliminate begging.......>>>(go to above site for further reading of this article)
====>>====>MORE
CRIME WILL RISE IF WE ARE BANNED, SAY CITY BEGGARS
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk
CLAIRE ELLIOT
09:00 - 22 August 2003
Street crime in Aberdeen would rise if beggars were forced out of the city centre, it was claimed yesterday.
Beggars in the Granite City say the only other way for them to get money for food is by stealing.
Many of the beggars - some of whom have been forced on to the streets for reasons including physical or sexual abuse, relationship difficulties or family problems - fear they will end up in jail if such a ban is implemented.
One of them, David Grant, 22, told yesterday how he had been on and off the streets since he was 16. He spent much of his youth in prison for breaking into homes and cars.
Since he resorted to begging, he had kept out of trouble, he said. "Just now I don't have to steal to get fed, but we need to feed ourselves and, if we can't beg, we will have to steal to get money," Mr Grant said.
The beggars' concerns come on the back of a report suggesting that 70 of homeless beggars in the city are bogus and that the average beggar in Aberdeen can earn up to £18,000 a year on the streets.
But the beggars say £6,000 is a more realistic figure...(go to above site to read more)
====>====>MORE
DRUG ADDICT BANNED.. from begging
http://www.itv.com/news/1751519.html
21 Aug 2003
A drug addict who has been arrested 97 times for begging ha been banned by a judge from begging anywhere in Manchester city centre.
Fifty-one-year-old Leonard Hockey, of Salford, faces up to two years in jail for contempt of court if he is found begging in Manchester city centre again.
The civil action was brought by Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police.
Although begging is illegal it does not carry a jail sentence under the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Judge Richard Holman said he found Hockey's activities "constitute a public nuisance" and added: "It is plain on his own evidence that the defendant intends to continue begging.
"There is therefore a strong evidential basis for concluding nothing short of an injunction will be effective to restrain the defendant from continuing his begging."
The injunction will run for two years.
Judge Holman said: "It is undeniably the case that begging is not regarded as a socially acceptable.
"The fact is that it exists, it is intrusive and it conflicts with an entirely legitimate aim of providing a pleasant and welcoming environment in the city centre for the general population."
Hockey's solicitor, Ben Taylor, said the ruling would open up further action against beggars.
Mr Taylor said: "This is not a blanket judgment but this will open the flood gates to other local authorities bringing injunctive proceedings against beggars. They would have to bring separate injunctions on an individual basis."
He continued: "My client is now prevented from begging in the Manchester city area but there is nothing from stopping him begging elsewhere, though I would not advise this as it is a criminal activity.
"We have always said that my client is not a public nuisance, he simply asks people for change."
Homeless charity Shelter said it was "very concerned" by the ruling.
Ben Jackson, Shelter's director of external affairs, said: "We are very concerned that the action by Manchester City Council could signal a shift towards criminalising those who live on the street."
http://news.independent.co.uk/uk/legal/story.jsp?story=435983
By Danielle Demetriou
22 August 2003
A judge has banned a drug addict from begging in a move that may result in councils being empowered to banish beggars from the streets.
The judgment yesterday, made at Manchester County Court, stated that Leonard Hockey, 51, would face jail if he was caught begging on the city's streets.
Within hours of the judgment, at least one other council had said that it was considering using injunctions to eliminate begging.......>>>(go to above site for further reading of this article)
====>>====>MORE
CRIME WILL RISE IF WE ARE BANNED, SAY CITY BEGGARS
http://www.pressandjournal.co.uk
CLAIRE ELLIOT
09:00 - 22 August 2003
Street crime in Aberdeen would rise if beggars were forced out of the city centre, it was claimed yesterday.
Beggars in the Granite City say the only other way for them to get money for food is by stealing.
Many of the beggars - some of whom have been forced on to the streets for reasons including physical or sexual abuse, relationship difficulties or family problems - fear they will end up in jail if such a ban is implemented.
One of them, David Grant, 22, told yesterday how he had been on and off the streets since he was 16. He spent much of his youth in prison for breaking into homes and cars.
Since he resorted to begging, he had kept out of trouble, he said. "Just now I don't have to steal to get fed, but we need to feed ourselves and, if we can't beg, we will have to steal to get money," Mr Grant said.
The beggars' concerns come on the back of a report suggesting that 70 of homeless beggars in the city are bogus and that the average beggar in Aberdeen can earn up to £18,000 a year on the streets.
But the beggars say £6,000 is a more realistic figure...(go to above site to read more)
====>====>MORE
DRUG ADDICT BANNED.. from begging
http://www.itv.com/news/1751519.html
21 Aug 2003
A drug addict who has been arrested 97 times for begging ha been banned by a judge from begging anywhere in Manchester city centre.
Fifty-one-year-old Leonard Hockey, of Salford, faces up to two years in jail for contempt of court if he is found begging in Manchester city centre again.
The civil action was brought by Manchester City Council and Greater Manchester Police.
Although begging is illegal it does not carry a jail sentence under the Vagrancy Act 1824.
Judge Richard Holman said he found Hockey's activities "constitute a public nuisance" and added: "It is plain on his own evidence that the defendant intends to continue begging.
"There is therefore a strong evidential basis for concluding nothing short of an injunction will be effective to restrain the defendant from continuing his begging."
The injunction will run for two years.
Judge Holman said: "It is undeniably the case that begging is not regarded as a socially acceptable.
"The fact is that it exists, it is intrusive and it conflicts with an entirely legitimate aim of providing a pleasant and welcoming environment in the city centre for the general population."
Hockey's solicitor, Ben Taylor, said the ruling would open up further action against beggars.
Mr Taylor said: "This is not a blanket judgment but this will open the flood gates to other local authorities bringing injunctive proceedings against beggars. They would have to bring separate injunctions on an individual basis."
He continued: "My client is now prevented from begging in the Manchester city area but there is nothing from stopping him begging elsewhere, though I would not advise this as it is a criminal activity.
"We have always said that my client is not a public nuisance, he simply asks people for change."
Homeless charity Shelter said it was "very concerned" by the ruling.
Ben Jackson, Shelter's director of external affairs, said: "We are very concerned that the action by Manchester City Council could signal a shift towards criminalising those who live on the street."
