Con artist in begging ban order

A conman who pestered Kidderminster shoppers for money with his hard luck stories has been given a two-year criminal anti-social behaviour order.

Jason Charles Barker, aged 36, admitted six charges of obtaining money by deception from the public when he appeared before Kidderminster Magistrates Court. He also admitted failing to attend court.

Magistrates fined him £150 for deception and gave him a three-month jail sentence, suspended for two years, for failing to attend court when he should have done. He was also told to pay £43 court costs.

The CRASBO prevents Barker, who lives in the Marlpool area, from approaching any person in a public place in England or Wales who is not known to him and asking them for money or encouraging or instructing others to do the same. This excludes approaching professional finance companies.

The order was granted for a minimum of two years.

Speaking after the case Chief Inspector Jim Baker, of Kidderminster Police, said: "He is a public nuisance and very often the people he approaches can't really afford to give him anything. We want to stop this happening rather than having to pick up the pieces afterwards. Any breach of the condition of the CRASBO can lead to a fine, imprisonment or both."