Breaching his ASBO by turning up to his elderly mother’s address has ended in court for one 57-year-old.
Stephen Newman had gone to Cavalry Crescent and knocked on a neighbour’s address as he could not get into his mother’s home. He then went to the rear of her property and into a shed. He was found lying down in the garden shed and was arrested by police. In interview the defendant, of no fixed address, said he didn’t have a key to his mum’s and was drunk at the time, confessing he had a drink problem.
On Tuesday October 9, Newman, who had previously pleaded not guilty to the offence changed his plea to guilty. The court heard he had breached his ASBO several times since he had been given it.
Christos Christou, defending, said his client’s mother was unaware he could not stay at her address, adding, “He has been back and forth to prison and clearly that doesn’t work, there’s two issues - alcohol and housing.
“He went to Action For Change on a voluntary basis when he left prison, he said he was there to get assistance and they said they would contact him. He didn’t receive any correspondence. I said he should have followed it up.
“He has savings for a rainy day and I think that rainy day has finally come.” After a probation report magistrates sentenced Newman to 26 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months. He was also given a community order with supervision for a year and an alcohol treatment requirement.