Man guilty of begging offences banned from Bedford town centre

A man found guilty of begging offences has been banned from Bedford town centre for 3 years.
MBTC Gareth OwensMBTC Gareth Owens
MBTC Gareth Owens

Gareth Owens, 36, of Frampton Court, Bedford, has been found guilty of begging offences and served with a Criminal Behaviour Order for a period of three years.
The conditions of the order prohibit Owens from coming into Bedford town centre with exception of pre-arranged appointments, in which he is not to act in intimidating or anti-social manner.

Sergeant Luke Blackburn said: “Owens is known in Bedford for his aggressive begging and nuisance behaviour. He has now been banned from the town centre and will no longer be able to intimidate members of the public.

“This result was achieved through the hard work of my community team and local partners and it shows that we are committed to tackling this kind of anti-social behaviour and making a difference in our communities.”

People can report anti-social behaviour through Bedfordshire Police’s online reporting centre or by calling 101.

The North Community policing team has secured a second Criminal Behaviour Order this week following a hearing at Luton Magistrates’ Court today (Tuesday).