Woman banned from begging in city centre
A woman has been banned from begging in Sunderland city centre for 12 months after her behaviour ‘intimidated’ the public.
Kim Waters, 39, of no fixed abode, was also ordered to attend a drug treatment programme under the terms of an injunction brought by Sunderland City Council.
In papers submitted to a hearing at Sunderland County Court, the city council described Waters as 'a persistent and habitual beggar' who regularly stops members of the public in the city centre to beg from them.
It said numerous complaints had been received from members of the public and from businesses whose trade had been affected by her continued activities.
And it added that Waters is a habitual drug user who uses begging and petty crime to fund her addiction.
The council said this behaviour 'has caused and continues to cause harassment, alarm and distress to the public', many of whom are ‘intimidated’ by her appearance and behaviour into giving her money.
Waters did not attend the hearing, but the injunction was granted after Deputy District Judge Pescod said he felt she had received adequate notice of the hearing and that granting the injunction would give her the opportunity to receive treatment for her addictions.
Fiona Brown, the city council's executive director of neighbourhoods, said after the hearing: "We always try to work with vulnerable people, as we did in this case, to make sure that they get the help and support that they need.”