Kettering street drinker given five-year ban from town centre streets for urinating and defecating in public, littering and being abusive
A 62-year-old man has been issued with a criminal behaviour order after repeated incidents of anti-social behaviour in Kettering town centre.
Thomas Murray, of Saunders Close, Kettering, had been reported to police in the summer of 2024 due to his persistent ‘street drinking’ and associated ‘anti-social behaviour’ in the town centre, which has a Public Space Protection order (PSPO).
Murray’s behaviour has included regularly being intoxicated in the town centre, urinating and defecating in public, littering, being abusive to members of the public, and generally behaving in a disorderly manner.
As a result, Northamptonshire Police issued him with a community protection warning in May this year, and when this was breached, a community protection notice was issued in July.
A spokeswoman for Northants Police said: “However, Murray continued to breach the notice, resulting in multiple complaints from members of the public whose trips into the town centre were blighted by his behaviour and local businesses regarding loss of revenue.
“Now, neighbourhood policing officers have managed to secure a criminal behaviour order (CBO) against him, meaning he is not allowed in certain parts of Kettering town centre, including Silver Street, Market Street, High Street and Gold Street.”
He is also not allowed to be in a group of two or more likely to cause harassment, alarm, distress, nuisance and/or annoyance, or allowed any open container of alcohol in any public place in Northamptonshire.
PC Tracy Maltby from Kettering’s Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “We want to create an environment within the town centre which makes people feel safe and happy to be there, and that means taking action against people like Thomas Murray who put people in fear.
“In order to get a CBO granted, it takes persistent offending and a clear pattern of poor behaviour. The five-year order which has been granted shows the consistent level of offending and disregard he has shown, and I am thankful the court has recognised this.
"Our main aim is to ensure the town centre is a safe place and obtaining this order will help in doing that. I urge members of the public and businesses to continue to report any breaches or other similar behaviour to the police, in order for us to act.”