Rebecca Connelly, 29, has been sentenced to 12 months in prison after repeatedly ignoring a court order banning her from begging and burgling homes in Fareham and Gosport.
The homeless woman, who has no children, defied a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) imposed on her in 2019 and continued to cause disturbances in the local area.
Connelly was prohibited from entering certain parts of Fareham town centre and was specifically told not to beg for money. However, on 12 November, she was seen begging on Victoria Street in Gosport, violating the terms of her CBO.
Later that same day, she broke into a nearby house and stole £260 in cash.
At Portsmouth Crown Court on 10 December, Connelly admitted to the offences. She received a 10-month prison sentence for burglary and an additional two months for breaching her CBO, to be served consecutively.
Gosport Inspector Matt Wake commented on the case, saying, “Rebecca Connelly is a persistent beggar in the Fareham and Gosport areas. While we sympathise with people’s circumstances, this behaviour affects locals and can lead to more crime.”
He added, “CBOs are there to stop this kind of anti-social behaviour, but some just ignore the law and keep offending. If you’re affected by this or any other criminal behaviour, report it so we can act.”
Originally published by UKNIP.
