| |
G4EBT > CODGER 08.07.07 21:44l 100 Lines 3882 Bytes #999 (0) @ WW
BID : 9D5821G4EBT
Read: GUEST
Subj: Old Fogey "ASBOs"
Path: DB0FHN<DB0FOR<DF0ANN<DB0MRW<OK0PPL<DB0RES<ON0AR<ZL2BAU<GB7ESX<GB7FCR
Sent: 070708/2038Z @:GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU #:37080 [Blackpool] FBB-7.03a $:9D5821G4
From: G4EBT@GB7FCR.#16.GBR.EU
To : CODGER@WW
I mentioned some time ago about Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs),
which were introduced by Section 1 of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 and
first used in 1999.
Anti-social behaviour has a wide legal definition - to paraphrase the
Crime and Disorder Act 1998, "it is behaviour which causes or is likely to
cause harassment, alarm or distress to one or more people who are not in
the same household as the perpetrator".
Among the forms it can take are:
Graffiti - which can make even the tidiest urban spaces look squalid
Abusive and intimidating language, often directed at minorities
Excessive noise, particularly late at night
Fouling the street with litter
Drunken behaviour in the streets, and the mess it creates
Dealing drugs, with all the problems to which it gives rise.
ASBOs aren't criminal convictions, they're orders which require persons
to comply with certain conditions and to refrain from certain behaviour.
However, if breached, they carry up to five years imprisonment - often for
behaviour which in itself, would not normally attract a custodial
sentence.
When introduced, they were expected to be imposed upon teenagers - not
the elderly, but that hasn't proved to be the case in some towns.
Eastbourne is a seaside town on the south east coast of England with a
population of just over 90,000. It has a high elderly population - more
than one-in-five over the retirement age, the tenth highest ratio in the
UK.
The south-east coast of England is sometimes unkindly referred to as the
"Costa Geriatrica" due to it being a favoured retirement location. Though
Eastbourne is a retirement haven, the over 50s have now overtaken
teenagers as the main recipients of ASBOs.
According to the police and crown prosecution service more than 55% of all
ASBOs in Eastbourne have been on the over 50s, of whom 70% are retired.
A police spokesman said that offenders mainly come under the noisy
neighbour category and went on to say: "Eastbourne used to be known as
'God's Waiting Room' but a lot of these old people aren't waiting around -
they're up and about and causing trouble. It's often that they're set in
their ways and refuse to change".
The most recent ASBO was imposed upon Richard Stofer, 63, who has a
history of "flashing" and was given a five-year ASBO in 2005 banning him
from exposing himself in public.
He was given a final warning by judge Cedric Joseph at Hove Crown Court
earlier this year after being caught lying naked in his neighbour's garden
while she was out.
Police were called after another neighbour's children saw him lying on
his front from an upstairs window. Officers who peered over a hedge
spotted him in the garden. Stofer claimed he went into the garden because
his own lawn was in the shade.
The Prosecutor said Stofer had previous convictions for sunbathing naked
and exposing himself on the beach wearing only a see-through ladies' thong
in 2004.
The mind boggles!
He was also convicted for stripping off in his front garden. Stofer
and admitted breaking the ban by exposing his bits in public.
His solicitor said "Stofer only went into the neighbour's garden to
sunbathe when his own became overshadowed. He didn't know he was being
observed but accepts he should have checked properly to see if he could
be seen by others."
He was given a five-month prison sentence suspended for two years and
was also banned from going into the neighbour's garden for two years.
Oh well, it's nice to know that in these troubled times there's a little
corner of England where all the populace need to worry themselves about is
scantily clad old fogey sun worshippers who are now the subject of a tan
ban.
Best wishes
David, G4EBT @ GB7FCR
Cottingham, East Yorkshire.
Message timed: 21:35 on 2007-Jul-08
Message sent using WinPack-Telnet V6.70
(Registered).
Read previous mail | Read next mail
| |
