COVENTRY MESSAGE BOARD

A beggar who breached a criminal behaviour order - by sitting on the floor - has been jailed for four weeks.

John Page was banned from sitting in car parks in Coventry city centre in order to beg, but was caught doing just that on three occasions in January.

He admitted breaching the order at a hearing at Coventry Magistrates’ Court and was sent to prison for four weeks due to his “flagrant breaches of court orders”.

Page, 35, of no fixed address, was seen sitting on the floor next to the ticket machine in car parks on January 16 and 18, which the order prohibited him from doing so.

Magistrates also ordered him to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

Charity speaks out as beggar jailed for second time in a matter of months

A charity has hit out after a Coventry man was jailed for a second time this year for begging on the streets.

John Page was banned from sitting on the floor of car parks in the city centre and asking for money after being handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO).

However, he breached the order in February and was jailed for four weeks and has since offended again.

The 35-year-old’s latest breach saw him sent to prison for six weeks after pleading guilty to two counts at Coventry Magistrates’ Court.

The court heard that Page had “repeated disregard of court orders”.

When the Telegraph reported Page’s first stint in prison, there was a large outcry from the public criticising the decision to put him behind bars.

And now bosses at Centrepoint, a charity that provides accommodation and support to homeless people, have had their say in the wake of a second prison sentence.

Paul Noblet, head of public affairs for Centrepoint, said: “Anyone genuinely in need on the streets of Coventry should not be criminalised or given fines they won’t be able to pay.

“Despite the council’s commitment to working with local homelessness agencies, there is always a danger that some people will fall through the safety net.

“So the council should review the order after six months to ensure that genuinely vulnerable people are getting the support they need before the winter weather starts.”

A spokesman for Coventry City Council said: “We work with the police when it comes to managing individuals that beg in the city centre.

“Ultimately the decision about Criminal Behaviour Orders are made by the police and Crown Prosecution Service, but we would be aware and generally supportive.”

The Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) told the Telegraph that the Code for Prosecutors is applied to all cases and “if there is sufficient evidence and it is in the public interest, we will proceed with the matter to court”.

However, if a defendant is found guilty then sentencing is a matter for the courts, the CPS said.