A HOMELESS man has been jailed after breaching an order which banned him from begging in Bridgwater town centre.

Kyle Pople, of no fixed address, was sentenced to eight months behind bars after he was found guilty of breaching his injunction between April 26 and May 11 this year.

Taunton Magistrates Court heard how the 36-year-old breached terms banning him from aggressively begging, using and leaving drug paraphernalia outside shop doors and was found under the influence of drink and drugs in a state of undress.

All incidents happened in Bridgwater town centre, the court was told.

Anti-Social Behaviour Co-Ordinator at Avon & Somerset Police, Lily Crowther-Luke, said: “Pople had been offered support repeatedly, including help in being housed, however he continued to offend and commit offences.

“Civil injunctions are designed to prevent anti-social behaviour through positive requirements and by deterring specific behaviour.

“In this case, Pople has disregarded and ignored this injunction and has persisted with his offending.”

Along with his eight-month prison term, Pople was handed a two-year extension to his civil injunction at the sentencing hearing on Friday, June 7.

This will prohibit him from:
Engage or threaten to engage with a member of the public in a manner capable of causing nuisance, annoyance, alarm or harassment.
Sit on the ground or loiter without good reasons in areas of pedestrian footfalls, in doorways, shop fronts or residential areas.
Approach people to ask for money or financial help unless they are an employee of a recognised agency which provides these services.
Remain on any retail premises when asked to leave.