Category: vagrancy

Government Looks To Re-Criminalise Rough Sleeping In Levelling Up Bill – Each Other

Posted July 7th, 2022 in bills, homelessness, human rights, news, repeals, vagrancy by sally

‘The government has proposed replacing previously repealed legislation that makes begging and rough sleeping a criminal offence. The move comes after parliament scrapped the Vagrancy Act, a 200-year-old law that criminalised sleeping rough and begging in England and Wales. The Act was repealed through an amendment to the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act (PCSCA) in April.’

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Each Other, 7th July 2022

Source: eachother.org.uk

Government to repeal law allowing police to arrest rough sleepers – BBC News

Posted February 23rd, 2022 in bills, fines, homelessness, imprisonment, news, police, vagrancy by sally

‘The government has announced it will repeal the Vagrancy Act, which allows police to arrest people for sleeping rough or begging in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 22nd February 2022

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Vagrancy: Government urged to decriminalise rough sleeping – BBC News

Posted November 25th, 2021 in government departments, homelessness, housing, news, vagrancy by sally

‘A group of peers are urging the government to repeal the Vagrancy Act which makes it a criminal offence to sleep rough or beg in England and Wales.’

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BBC News, 25th November 2021

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Fixed universal credit cuts are unlawful, high court in UK rules – The Guardian

Posted March 19th, 2021 in benefits, charities, fines, government departments, homelessness, housing, news, vagrancy by sally

‘A group of former rough sleepers who were left destitute after the Department for Work and Pensions automatically deducted a third of their universal credit allowance to pay off court fines have won a high court victory.’

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The Guardian, 18th March 2021

Source: www.theguardian.com

High court to hear crowdfunded challenge to ‘begging fines’ – The Guardian

Posted November 4th, 2019 in costs, homelessness, local government, news, public spaces protection orders, vagrancy by sally

‘A landmark high court case will determine whether fines for begging, loitering and leaving bedding in doorways unfairly targets homeless people, after a fundraising campaign for legal costs reached its target.’

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The Guardian, 4th November 2019

Source: www.theguardian.com

Legal Aid Agency taken to court for refusing to help rough sleepers – The Guardian

Posted October 23rd, 2018 in fines, homelessness, human rights, interpretation, legal aid, local government, news, statistics, vagrancy by sally

‘A human rights organisation is taking the national provider of legal aid to court because it is refusing to help rough sleepers challenge councils over the use of potentially unlawful powers to move them on.’

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The Guardian, 23rd October 2018

Source: www.theguardian.com

Beggars to be issued with £100 fines by Poole council sparking outrage – The Independent

Posted March 16th, 2018 in fines, local government, news, public spaces protection orders, vagrancy by tracey

‘Beggars in the Dorset town of Poole will be issued with fines of £100, its council has said. Despite heavy criticism Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) will be introduced from 16 April in a bid to “tackle anti-social and nuisance behaviours.” ‘

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The Independent, 16th March 2018

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Leader urges police to use Vagrancy Act 1824 ahead of Royal Wedding – Local Government Lawyer

Posted January 8th, 2018 in ASBOs, local government, news, police, royal family, vagrancy by sally

‘The Leader of the Royal Borough of Windsor & Maidenhead has written to the Police and Crime Commissioner for the Thames Valley calling for the use of The Vagrancy Act 1824 or the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 in tackling anti-social behaviour including aggressive begging and intimidation ahead of the Royal Wedding in May this year.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 5th January 2018

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Arresting beggars a ‘last resort’ as prosecutions fall 40 per cent – Daily Telegraph

Posted August 1st, 2017 in news, prosecutions, statistics, vagrancy by sally

‘Arresting beggars has become a “last resort”, the police say, as new figures show that prosecutions have fallen by 40 per cent in two years.’

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Daily Telegraph, 31st July 2017

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

One in three councils targeting rough sleepers with enforcement measures: Crisis – Local Government Lawyer

Posted April 5th, 2017 in charities, criminal behaviour orders, dispersal orders, enforcement, homelessness, local government, news, public spaces protection orders, reports, statistics, vagrancy by sally

‘More than one in three councils (36%) are targeting rough sleepers with enforcement measures such as Criminal Behaviour Orders (CBOs) and Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), research by national homelessness charity Crisis has suggested.’

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Local Government Lawyer, 4th April 2017

Source: www.localgovernmentlawyer.co.uk

Adverts banned for portraying beggars as ‘disingenuous and undeserving’ – The Independent

Posted September 28th, 2016 in advertising, homelessness, local government, news, vagrancy by sally

‘Four Nottingham City Council posters urging people not to give money to beggars have been banned for being likely to cause widespread offence and reinforcing negative stereotypes.’

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The Independent, 28th September 2016

Source: www.independent.co.uk

Begging prosecutions increase dramatically across England and Wales – The Guardian

Posted December 1st, 2014 in news, prosecutions, vagrancy by tracey

‘Prosecutions for begging have rocketed across England and Wales over the past year with dramatic increases recorded in many police force areas. The number of cases brought to court under the 1824 Vagrancy Act has surged by 70%, prompting concerns that cuts to support services and benefits are pushing more people to resort to begging.’

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The Guardian, 30th November 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Three charged with stealing food from skip behind Iceland supermarket – The Guardian

Posted January 29th, 2014 in burglary, Crown Prosecution Service, food, news, public interest, vagrancy, waste by sally

‘Crown Prosecution Service claims there is “significant public interest” in prosecuting men arrested for taking discarded food.’

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The Guardian, 28th January 2014

Source: www.guardian.co.uk

Burglar fined 1p for breaking into artists’ workshop – Daily Telegraph

Posted May 13th, 2011 in burglary, fines, news, sentencing, vagrancy by tracey

“A convicted burglar who broke into an artists’ workshop has been fined just 1p after a deal was agreed with the prosecution.”

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Daily Telegraph, 13th May 2011

Source: www.telegraph.co.uk

Akhurst v Director of Public Prosecutions – Times Law Reports

Posted April 14th, 2009 in law reports, vagrancy by sally

Akhurst v Director of Public Prosecutions

Queen’s Bench Divisional Court

“University grounds and buildings were not an enclosed area for the purposes of the Vagrancy Act 1824 which referred to any dwelling house, warehouse, coach house, stable or outhouse, enclosed yard, garden or area.”

The Times, 13th April 2009

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Akhurst v Director of Public Prosecutions – WLR Daily

Posted March 16th, 2009 in law reports, vagrancy by sally

Akhurst v Director of Public Prosecutions; [2009] WLR (D) 96

“University grounds and buildings were not an enclosed area within the meaning of s 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824.”

WLR Daily, 13th March

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.

JL (a Youth) v Director of Public Prosecutions – Times Law Reports

Posted October 8th, 2007 in law reports, vagrancy by sally

1824 Act is used with caution

JL (a Youth) v. Director of Public Prosecutions

Queen’s Bench Division

“An accused was deemed a rogue and vagabond where he had been discovered in an enclosed yard and had criminal conduct in mind.”

The Times, 8th October 2007

Source: www.timesonline.co.uk

Please note the Times Law Reports are only available free on Times Online for 21 days from teh date of publication 

JL (A Youth) v. Crown Prosecution Service – WLR Daily

Posted July 19th, 2007 in law reports, vagrancy by sally

JL (A Youth) v. Crown Prosecution Service

“An accused was ‘found’ in an inclosed yard for an ‘unlawful purpose’ within the meaning of s 4 of the Vagrancy Act 1824 when he had been seen or discovered in an inclosed yard with criminal conduct in mind.”

WLR Daily, 16th July 2007

Source: www.lawreports.co.uk

Please note once a case has been fully reported in one of the ICLR series the corresponding WLR Daily summary is removed.