Woman who moved to city to drink and beg is kicked out of Plymouth
A STREET booze pest who moved to the city "simply to drink and beg" has been thrown out of Plymouth.
Persistent troublemaker Lisa Graham has been ordered out of the city by a judge following a string of nuisance crimes.
The 39-year-old was told she must leave Plymouth by the end of the day – and has been warned to expect prison if she returns.
She has been hit with a tough two-year Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) forbidding her from setting foot within the city's boundaries for two years.
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Graham's list of criminal convictions include battery, possession of a blade and regular arrests for begging and alcohol-related disorder.
Plymouth City Council successfully applied for the strict ASBO at Plymouth Magistrates' Court yesterday.
The same court heard how, in one typical incident in the early hours of Saturday morning, Graham was found lying on a North Hill pavement too drunk to stand up.
The ASBO, which comes into force today, also aims to stop her approaching people in the street in other parts of the region.
The order bans Graham from asking people for money, cigarettes or alcohol, and from asking people to buy her alcohol, anywhere in Devon and Cornwall.
The council submitted evidence from a city PCSO, who claimed Graham was trying to sidestep the restrictions of a previous ASBO by moving from area to area.
"She has moved to Plymouth simply to engage in street drinking and begging," the PCSO said.
Magistrates in Truro had issued a similar two-year ASBO against Graham just last week.
That was part of a crackdown on alcohol misuse by police in the town of Camborne.
Dorian Thomas, of Cornwall Council's crime disorder reduction team, told Truro magistrates help had been offered.
But he added: "Her behaviour continued to have an adverse affect on the local community and, as it escalated, it was felt necessary to apply for an ASBO."
Graham, whose address was given as Hillsborough, in Mannamead, was also in the dock yesterday charged with being drunk and incapable.
Plymouth Magistrates' Court heard how she had spent the weekend in a cell after being found lying in North Hill at around 3.45am on Saturday.
Prosecutor Eoin McCarthy said: "When asked to get to her feet she was unable to do so.
"She tried repeatedly, in fact up to about ten times, but she either fell over or was unable to stand up independently.
"Because of her condition she was arrested and spent the weekend in custody thereafter."
Graham pleaded guilty to the charge, accepting it also put her in breach of a six-month conditional discharge, imposed for a battery offence and possession of a blade.
District Judge Kevin Gray fined her £85 and ordered her to pay a victim surcharge of £15.
However, after two nights spent in custody, he said the fine was "considered paid", and imposed no separate penalty for the breach.
Comments
by googoo55
Wednesday, May 23 2012, 9:14AM
“Rick o Shay
No one forces her to drink end off we all have problems but we dont drink we just get on with it.If thats what she wants to do let her carry on why should tax payers money be wasted on her and all the druggies.I would like the money to go to old peoples homes cancer patients people that really need noT for the drop outs that dont give a toss.”
by Johnny_Brant
Wednesday, May 23 2012, 12:28AM
“--'Woman moved to city to drink and beg'--
No luv you've got it the wrong way round, cadge money off people first, THEN blow it on booze..:)”
by Devonportboy
Wednesday, May 23 2012, 12:01AM
“@Johnny Brant
do you really think anybody finds you as funny as you do?”
by Rick_OShay
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 7:03PM
“Googoo55
How do you know that this womans problems are self inflicted?
She could be the product of a dysfunctional upbringing, she may have been enjoying a perfectly good life and then experienced some life changing trauma, she could have been the victim of abuse.
As the proverb has it, there but for the grace of God......
Showing compassion is the mark of a civilized society, unfortunately under the Coalition increasingly it's survival of the fittest and vulnerable people don't matter. Shame on the Judge.
Rick O'Shay
Zog”
by plymouthgeeze
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 7:02PM
“Hills have eyes????”
by Johnny_Brant
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 4:58PM
“-- 'She was found lying on a North Hill pavement too drunk to stand up'--
So what? If students are allowed to do it why can't she?”
by breezerrosie
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 4:55PM
“Nasty comments.”
by googoo55
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 3:23PM
“Rick_OShay
Its self inflicted no one forces it in her mouth its her choice so why waste tax payers on someone who wont help herself .”
by gsxrsct
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 3:12PM
“There's someone in desperate need of help and I'd agree that she probably suffers mental illness. It's also apparent that based on some of the black hearted and vitriolic comments on here, she's not alone.”
by Johnny_Brant
Tuesday, May 22 2012, 3:09PM
“Her hairdresser should get life”