Beggar banned from city centre

A persistent beggar has been banned from the streets of Wolverhampton for three years for accosting music fans outside the Civic Hall and football fans near Molineux.

Brian Boyce, aged 48, from Hart Road in Wednesfield, was given an anti-social behaviour order barring him from entering Wolverhampton city centre or the West Park area by city magistrates yesterday.

He was warned that if he sets foot inside the area bordered by the ring road and around Molineux and the park, he faces being jailed for up to five years.

Mr Boyce, who is suffering from the onset of Alzheimer's Disease, agreed for the order to be served on him which also stops him from going anywhere in the city with his dog without it being muzzled and on a lead.

The application for the Asbo was brought by Wolverhampton City Council. District Judge Shamim Qureshi was told Boyce had been asked to move on more than 60 times and refused a request by Boyce's defence to restrict the ban to two years.

Mr Boyce told the court that he only ever asked people for spare change and was always polite.

The order will run until midnight on September 18, 2010. If Boyce is found to be in breach of the terms of it he could be sent to prison.

Scores of dispersal orders have been issued to try and get beggars off the streets.