Man banned from Poole town centre and begging during the day

Robert John Bell, 45, was issued with a two-year criminal behaviour order after he admitted being racially abusive and aggressive to council staff in the town.

Bell, of no fixed abode, admitted three public order offences and breach of a conditional discharge order when he was in the dock at Poole Magistrates' Court in January.

He received a 12-month community order with rehabilitation activity requirement days and a restraining order not to contact the Community Safety Accredited Scheme (CSAS) officer, who was the victim of the abuse.

The defendant was back at the same court on April 19 when prosecutors secured the criminal behaviour order from the bench.

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Robert John Bell

The requirements of the order state that Bell must not:

• Enter Poole High Street, certain paths off Poole High Street, Poole Dolphin Centre, Poole Bus Station including the service road and underpasses to the bus station and Pitwines Sainsburys, between 8am and 6pm.
• Enter any BCP car park between the hours of 8am and 6pm.
• Swear or use threatening or abusive words or behaviour in public in the borough of the Bournemouth, Christchurch & Poole Council.
• Between the hours of 8am and 6pm, sit, stand or squat on a footpath, street, or public highway within the area of BCP council, with any receptacle for collecting money or with his arm/hand outstretched.
• Leave any personal belongings in the exclusion zone areas between the hours of 8am and 6pm.

It also included requirements to comply with instructions to move from an area when asked by a police officer, police community support officer or CSAS officer, attend probation on a weekly basis and follow recommendations made by support workers with regards to housing and addiction recovery.

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A Dorset Police spokesman said: "Robert Bell has been responsible for a number of public order offences, displaying intimidating and unacceptable behaviour toward members of the public and council staff carrying out their jobs.

"We will do all we can to work with our partners to take action so that this kind of behaviour does not continue. A criminal behaviour order is just one of the tools we can use to give us additional powers if individuals persistently offend.

"This order includes conditions prohibiting Bell from entering areas where he has committed previous offences and he will be liable to arrest and face being brought back before the courts if he breaches the terms of the order."

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A BCP Council spokeswoman said: "On two separate occasions Robert Bell had been racially abusive and aggressive towards one of the patrolling Community Safety (CSAS) Officers in Poole town centre.

"Following this he was arrested and charged with a number of offences.

“The Community Safety Officers are deployed in Bournemouth and Poole town centres to improve public safety and tackle anti-social behaviour.

“BCP Council will not tolerate abuse or aggression towards staff and we will work alongside Dorset Police to use all available legal powers to deal with those who behave in this manner.”

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