Persistent Fareham and Gosport beggar jailed

Persistent beggar Rebecca Trudy Connelly appeared in court today (Tuesday 9 June) where she was jailed for 20 weeks.

The 28-year-old, of Gosport Road in Fareham, had previously been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) by the courts, which prohibited her from begging.

However, she breached this by continually begging in Fareham and Gosport.

She was caught begging in West Street, Fareham, on 22 November 2019.

Connelly continued to beg and was again spotted in Gosport Road in Fareham, on 24 November, Osborn Road in Fareham on 2 January this year and Gosport High Street on 4 January.

She was subsequently arrested and charged for the breaches, and appeared at Portsmouth Crown Court on Friday 7 February this year where she admitted the offences.

Today, she appeared at the same court and was handed a 20 week term of imprisonment.

Fareham Inspector Richard Thompson said: “Anti-social behaviour such as begging has a negative impact on people who live and work in the town.

“We use the powers available to us to prevent the people responsible from being able to continue this behaviour, and it is always positive when CBOs are imposed.

“However, as is the case with Connelly, there are always those individuals who flout the law persistently and ignore the conditions that have been legally imposed on them.

“I hope that the work that has been put in by the neighbourhood teams in Fareham and Gosport reassures the community that we are listening to your concerns and acting on these.”