Thief banned from every shop in Beverley town centre

By NDMurphy | Tuesday, February 21, 2012, 07:30

A persistent thief has been banned from every shop in Beverley town centre.

Andrew James Oakes, a persistent thief who has been given an Asbo banning him from shops in Beverley

Andrew James Oakes has been given an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) which is in place until February 2014.

Asbo Co-ordinating Officer PC Annie Reed said: "Andrew Oakes has a long history of offending behaviour going back to 1989.

"The majority of his criminal and anti-social conduct has occurred in the Beverley area where he has been involved mostly in theft and public disorder.

"Oakes has an unhealthy relationship with alcohol and he is regularly in drink when he commits offences.

"Humberside Police applied to the East Riding Magistrates Courts for an Anti Social Behaviour Order against Oakes so that greater protection could be afforded to the local community whom have been caused harassment, alarm and distress as a result of his persistent misconduct."

As well as being banned from shops, Oakes is also not allowed into any hairdressing premises within the centre of Beverley.

PC Martin Pepper, from Beverley Police Station, said: "Granting this Asbo has come about due to the close working between the Neighbourhood Team and retailers within the town.

"Oakes has consistently been a nuisance to shoppers and retailers alike in the Beverley area for a long time. It is pleasing to know that there is now some peace of mind specifically for retailers to go about their business without having to be subject of anti social behaviour from him.

Chairman of Beverley Shop Watch, Cathy Rawson, said it was a 'pleasing' result.

"The shopwatch association aims to make Beverley a safe and pleasant place to shop," she said.

"People who steal from shops and behave in a threatening or antisocial way make people nervous of shopping here. Beverley is a lovely town and people should be able to enjoy it in peace."

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Comments

They're throwing them ASBO's out left, right and centre just lately aren't they? Must be on a BOGOF.

By Eeebahgum at 14:26 on 21/02/12
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Why the long face?

By ColonelKurtz at 13:43 on 21/02/12
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This man is a repeat offender, he obviously does not care about the law and nothing is deterring him! He is clearly not scared by the police or the prospect of getting locked up therefore how could anyone feel an ASBO is an effective form of punishment in these circumstances!

I do believe we should try and seek alternative means of managing offenders other than sending them straight to prison, however I am also a firm believer that prisons should just be for dangerous and repeat offenders which this male clearly is! Prison would be far more effective in this case as he physically won't be able to thieve within society anymore!

There was an article on thisisgrimsby.co.uk yesterday regarding an ex serviceman who served in afghanistan, has never been in trouble before, goes out to work, has a loving family and he has been sent to prison for having ammunition for which his firearms certificate had expired therefore he was in possession of these items illegally. Although I understand he was in the wrong and should be given some form of punishment is prison really appropriate for that crime? Yet Mr Oakes who is clearly a drain on society and the criminal justice system gets served with just an ASBO!

I know we are all going to have differing opinions but this is mine!

By Scunthorpe26 at 10:54 on 21/02/12
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"Asbo Co-ordinating Officer PC Annie Reed said: "Andrew Oakes has a long history of offending behaviour going back to 1989."

Surely, that anyone can have a 23yr-long "history of offending" is concrete proof of the inefficacy of the system which purports to rehabilitate offenders and that such people have no intention of desisting from illegal activities.

By David_Nivea at 10:47 on 21/02/12
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Here we go again.

An ASBO is usually in addition to any criminal proceedings not instead of.

Most people who get ASBOs do so because of a string of petty offending as it gives the police the ability to launch a pre-emptive strike before crimes are committed.

By Mark_Hull_65 at 10:00 on 21/02/12
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