People and communities
Criminal Behaviour Orders granted for Walsall Town Centre PSPO breaches
Published on
Two individuals have pleaded guilty to breaches of the Walsall Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) and have also received Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBO) at Dudley Magistrates Court on Wednesday 16 August 2023.
Stacey Jackson aged 34 of Walsall pleaded guilty to four counts of breach of the PSPO, by urinating in a public place between January and May this year. Magistrates sentenced a fine of £120 for each offence, a victim surcharge of £192 and court costs of £350, totalling £1,022 to be paid in full in 28 days. A Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted for a period of two years, prohibiting Ms Jackson from being within Walsall Town Centre.
Carl Jones aged 42 of Rushall, Walsall pleaded guilty to six offences of breach of the PSPO, by urinating in a public place between April and June this year. Magistrates sentenced a fine of £120 for four offences, a victim surcharge of £192 and court costs of £350, totalling £1,022 to be paid in full in 28 days. A Criminal Behaviour Order was also granted for a period of four years, prohibiting Mr Jones from being within Walsall Town Centre.
“ We introduced the PSPO to help keep residents safe and to make Walsall a place to live, work and visit.
These latest prosecutions for PSPO breaches include the first successful Criminal Behaviour Orders for the Council and I would like to thank everyone involved in bringing these cases to court and achieving a successful outcome.
These prosecutions send out a message that this behaviour will not be tolerated. We will continue to work closely with colleagues across partner organisations to keep Walsall safe and ensure that the appropriate legal action is taken for any criminal offences.
People tell us they are concerned that the Town Centre is not welcoming, and they do not always feel safe. Individuals loitering in certain locations, drinking alcohol, and urinating reinforces the view. We will be relentless in tackling this. “
ENDS
Notes to editor:
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Walsall Council’s Community Protection Team brought the first prosecution under a breach of the Walsall Town Centre Public Space Protection Order and have pursued a number of successful prosecutions since. PSPOs help deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a specific area that is damaging to the local community’s quality of life. The PSPO in place in Walsall town centre was put in place to tackle anti-social behaviour including street drinking and public urination.
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Breach of a PSPO is a criminal offence for which an individual can be summoned to attend court and fined. Fixed Penalty Notices of £100 may also be issued to deal with a breach.
