A beggar has been hauled before the court after police claimed he was fraudulently claiming to be homeless.
Kieran Jackson, of no fixed abode, was arrested outside Costa Coffee in Bolton’s Trinity Retail Park yesterday after he was seen holding up a sign saying “Hungry and homeless, please help - happy Ramadan”. Greater Manchester Police officers called to the scene saw on their system that he had a known address, so arrested him for fraud by misrepresentation as his sign said he was homeless, Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Ann Deakin told the court how residents had reported the 38-year-old after seeing him begging outside the Costa on April 12. Ms Deakin explained the charge had been changed to begging after the mistake by police.
“A male matching the description made to police was arrested and placed in the rear of a police car,” Ms Deakin said. “Whilst in the rear of the police car he had a sign he used to beg.”
She went on to say that Jackson had been brought before the court in November 2022 for the same begging charge, for which he received a fine. Defending, Adam Whittaker explained that although their bid to crack down on begging was understandable, he stated “this is not fraud”.
“There is an increasing problem of people begging outside shops in the high street, in the town centre and at traffic lights,” Mr Whittaker told the court. “Police are trying to take action.
“Because on their system, when he was arrested, he had an address, they arrested him for fraud.”
He went on to say that if you are sofa surfing, in a B&B or shelter for the night, you are still homeless. Jackson spent the night in custody before being brought before the court on April 13.
Jackson pleaded guilty to a charge of begging.
The chair of the bench issued Jackson a 12 month conditional discharge - stating that he would be brought back before the court if he was caught begging again. Jackson was ordered to pay £85 in court costs and £26 victim surcharge, totalling £111.
Read more of today's top stories here
READ NEXT:
- Tragedy as man, 19, found dead in his flat
- Double-decker bus roof RIPPED off after hitting bridge
- Locked up for decades - the criminals facing the longest jail terms judges have handed out
- Doctors go on strike across Greater Manchester amid fears of 'unparalleled disruption'
- The precinct that went from shoppers' paradise to 's***hole' - and its new hope
