Three years jail for charity box thief

And he can't eat in McDonald's for eight years

A man from Barnstaple is starting three years in prison after stealing charity boxes and causing relentless disruption in the local community.       

Exeter Crown Court heard that Danny Hawkins, 34, admitted criminal damage and burglary offences as well as theft by finding. These were all taken into consideration upon sentencing.

Mr Hawkins has also been issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order for eight years which prohibits him from:

• Acting in an anti-social manner which may cause or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person within England and Wales. This includes behaviour which is intimidating or threatening to any person.
• Being drunk or under the influence of alcohol or any illegal substance in a public place.
• Being in possession of an open container of alcohol in a public place saved for licensed premises.
• Urinating or defecating in any public place.
• Entering any McDonalds Restaurant in Devon
• Entering any B&M, Go Outdoors, Tesco, Currys, Saltrock, Boots, Outcasts Devon, Bet Fred or Coral Bookmakers premises in Devon.
• Entering Queen Anne’s Café, The Strand, Barnstaple including the cloistered area to the front and the seating area to the side.
• Entering any store from which he has received a written banning notice.

Neighbourhood beat manager PC Ben Beechey, who leads the Neighbourhood Policing Team in Barnstaple, said: “We’re pleased that Danny Hawkins is off the streets and is no longer able to cause issues in Barnstaple.

“Hawkins’ behaviour has caused disruption in the area for several months, and the theft of charity boxes demonstrates his blatant disregard for the community.

“The criminal behaviour order is a proactive tool that will help us to manage Hawkins robustly when he is eventually released, and we will continue to work with local residents and retailers to tackle anti-social behaviour and bring thieves to justice.

"I would like to thank each and every person who made reports and provided evidence that allowed us to target this offender. I’d also like to acknowledge the efforts of my team who work incredibly hard day in, day out, to make Barnstaple a safe place for everyone to live, work or visit.”