Civil injunction is served on ‘nuisance’ rough sleeper

A 29-year-old rough sleeper has been served with a civil injunction for anti-social behaviour in the Scarborough town centre and seafront areas during the last 12 months.

Gavin Wilson has been given a list of constraints in the order, served by Scarborough County Court.

Sandra Rees, Community Safety and Safeguarding Manager, said: “We have worked with our partners to pursue this injunction and hope that the result will give the members of the public who have been severely detrimentally affected by the behaviour of Mr Wilson some reassurance and comfort.

“We are not in the habit of bringing action against those rough sleepers who do not cause trouble but we will not tolerate those whose anti-social behaviour causes distress to others.

“Where we have clear evidence that this is the case, we will take enforcement action.”

Included on the list are that Mr Wilson must not, within a defined area which covers the town centre, old town and South Bay :

Keep or deposit his belongings on the ground or on any bench in any public place, for a period of more than 10 minutes;

Sleep rough in any public place;

Sit on the ground in any public place;

Keep or put any rubbish in any public place except public bins or waste receptacles;

Place any hat, bowl, bucket or other container or vessel in front of or near to himself in such a manner as to attract passers-by to place money in it;

Place any bong, pipe or hypodermic needle (also known as a ‘pin’) in a place where it may be visible to a member of the public;

Be in possession of any open containers of alcohol in any public place;

Be in possession of any psychoactive substance in any public place;

Behave in a way which causes or is likely to cause harassment, nuisance, alarm or distress to any other person.