A SHIPLEY man has been handed a five year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) after aggressive begging earlier this year.

Robin Waltham, 36, who gave his address as Valley Road when appearing at Bradford Magistrates Court last Friday, was found guilty of four charges of vagrancy and a charge of public order.

The charges relate to incidents between March 3 and April 8 this year.

The order now means Mr Waltham is banned from sitting, sleeping or loitering in public areas.

He is also prohibited from using articles that may give the impression he is homeless and from asking people for money or goods throughout the Bradford District unless it is part of a contract of employment, a legitimate benefit claim, a retail purchase or a banking transaction.

Mr Waltham had been issued with several warnings but continued to harass the public and business owners.

He even became aggressive on occasion when he was refused money, according to Inspector Julie Deacon, who leads the Shipley Neighbourhood Policing Team.

She added: “I hope this order will encourage him to seek assistance with his issues, which clearly caused concerns among the public and the retail sector in Shipley.

“I also hope it demonstrates that we listen to these concerns and will work with partners to use whatever legislation we can to take action against those who blight our communities through crime and anti-social behaviour.”

If Mr Waltham breaches the terms of his order he will be brought back before the courts, where he could be sent to prison.