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Beggar banned from shop
Customers of store used by Robbie Williams ‘intimidated’
A BEGGAR who drove customers away from a shop favoured by celebrities has been banned from going near it for three years.
Former Tory councillor Johnny Bucknell took to the stand at Highbury Corner Magistrates Court on Wednesday to help ban Gary Davies, 39, who has been persistently begging outside Shepherd Foods on Regent’s Park Road for four years. The court heard how the shop – frequented by supermodel Kate Moss, pop singers Robbie Williams and George Michael, and Brit-actor Jude Law – regularly lost business as customers complained of being intimidated by Davies. They had to walk past him as he asked customers for spare cash. Although Mr Bucknell told the court he had once gone for a drink with Davies, who lives in a hostel in Kings’ Cross Road, he said the Liverpool born man’s behaviour was “irritating”.
He added: “He expressed to me a genuine desire to get back in to work.”
Mr Bucknell added: “Every time I would go in the shop the manager would be in distress. The fear in the back of many people’s minds is “what happens if I say no?”
Camden’s Anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) coordinator Ian Walker told the court: “He’s a prolific beggar and drug user. I suspect he begs to fund his habit.”
But Mr Davies claimed he was welcomed by some businesses, which would give him food and drink in return for help clearing glasses and plates.
Making an Asbo banning Davies from going near the store and from begging anywhere in Camden, Islington or Westminster, bench chair Bill Davies warned: “You’ve been given an awful lot of opportunities and those are still open to you through your key worker. It’s up to you to motivate yourself.”
Akay Araliya, manager of Shepherd Foods welcomed the Asbo but remained cynical, saying: “I don’t think it will make any difference. This guy has been making too much trouble. He was told not to come to the shop before and he still did. Ninety per cent of customers don’t like beggars but 10 per cent buy him food.” |
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