People and communities
A four-year ban from the town centre for regular street drinker in Walsall
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Walsall Council has successfully prosecuted a persistent street drinker following a number of breaches of the town centre’s Public Space Protection Order (PSPO).
Richard O’Brien, of Lord Street, Walsall, failed to attend Dudley Magistrates Court on 29 November 2024, where an application for a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) was heard.
The Judge was satisfied the threshold of a CBO had been met and granted the order for four years.
This means O'Brien is now prohibited from entering Walsall town centre during this time.
Earlier this year, O’Brien was found guilty of breaching the PSPO and fined £250. He has since continued to breach the PSPO by consuming alcohol in public places.
“ This is another successful prosecution for the council, but also our residents who are going about their daily lives in the town centre each and every day.
Community safety is an immediate priority now, but also something that is embedded into ours and our partners long-term approach as we regenerate parts of the town centre.
Out of the seven Criminal Behaviour Orders that have been heard since August 2023, all of them have been granted to enforce bans from the town centre, and we will continue to apply for these orders to prevent harm to our community.
We’re hearing from residents all the time that they want to feel more positive about our town centre, and it’s this sort of enforcement which will hopefully, little by little, contribute towards making our town a greater place.
These prosecutions take a lot of time and patience, but our community protection team is committed to seeing them through to the end, so our residents can continue to enjoy the town they live in. “
The council will now work with West Midlands Police to ensure that any breaches of the CBO are dealt with accordingly.
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