Forum Topic

That begging man...?

Usually at the BP petrol station on the horn lane and outside the coop. Been stopped by him twice in as many weeks.Wonder where he hails from?

T Beme ● 5714d51 Comments

I was accosted by him leaving the Rocket late last night.  He was very sweet until I said no, at which point he launched a tirade of verbal abuse against me.  Quite scary, but he did walk off.

Anne Brown ● 5713d

He comes into the front garden of the Station House nearly every time I am there asking for money. Last night he was in and out every minute, I finally got a bit annoyed and muttered under my breath to get lost (maybe not in those exact words...!) but he then looked as if he were ready to go mad and someone had to step in so he would back off.It is really really annoying as well as a bit nerve wracking to have him do this. It really could put some people off the pub but there isn't a great deal anyone can do to keep him away for good. X

Beth Hippisley ● 5713d

Is this the chap with the beard and shambling gait?I explain that I don't give money in the street but if he would like a coffee and a bun from Lavelli, I would be happy to provide them. He never likes the idea!

Sara Nathan ● 5713d

Yes that's him - he's very scary at 11.00pm on a dark winter's night.

Anne Brown ● 5712d

Have you reported this to the Safer Neighbourhood Team?

Dee Cook ● 5712d

THere's also a rather posh woman who hangs around Tesco Express late at night with a sob story about a relative in hospital and needing money. Gues she moves around as she's there for a few days then goes missing for a few weeks then back again

David Archer ● 5712d

I'd describe him as fairly short, slight in stature and shuffling in his gait; and very unshaven.At the petrol station someone did give him money and they spoke briefly in the same language...not sure but I'm guessing middle eastern??I never give to beggars - ever.

T Beme ● 5712d

a couple of months ago this chap approached me on a Sunday morning as I was coming out of the newsagent on Churchfield.  At that very moment a police car happened to drive past and  stopped.  A woman PC hopped out of the car and asked me if the chap had just asked me for money.  I said yes.  She said that he was well known to the Acton police . She had some words with him and sent him on his way.  He's not from Acton but Acton is on his begging map and he seems to favour Churchfield.

M ODonald ● 5711d

Acton Central SNT are aware of the individual begging. If you have been affected please email me direct or ActonCentral.snt@met.police.uk. We would like to take statements from you and deal with him be it through the courts or via an ASBO. I have posted a few of these types of requests and emailed people directly and have to date never received a reply. If you are concerned re crime on the area please let us know and support us to tackle it, there is little we can do with the postings on this site.

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5711d

OK Mark will email you direct - he approached us directly this eveing and when I said that no we wouldn't give him money and could he please stop begging round here as the communoty was fed up with him - go a rather basic response - unsurprisingly maybe!!

Sara Nathan ● 5710d

... not even the offer of a coffee and a bun please....

Dee Cook ● 5709d

We were approached by a begging man last night after leaving the cine club at The Rocket.  The same man approached us back in December when we came out of The Station House.

Maria Pettit ● 5709d

So are you going to volunteer a statement Marie?He obviously clobbered several of us!I have but no response yet.

Sara Nathan ● 5709d

No. Never.

T Beme ● 5708d

statement done - are others doing one?

Sara Nathan ● 5699d

Me too - after an unpleasant encounter on Monday night.

Clare Gittins ● 5698d

He stopped me yesterday - oh gosh it might have been today but disappeared pronto when I said I had just given a statement to the police about him.But he needs help rather than just moving on.

Sara Nathan ● 5698d

I saw the same man in action on thursday last week (I think) he scuttled away when it became obvious that a few people were watching him closely. I saw him later, quite late infact, in Grove Road as I drove past, though he seemed to be happily chatting to a friend.

Jeremy Thorpe-Woods ● 5694d

Back home in Bath there was a lady who used to come into all the pub gardens constantly and beg for money (even though everyone knew she had a house etc) she used to corner you on the streets and it got so annoying that I would find myself changing my route just to avoid her.She has just been given an ASBO so she is not allowed to do this any more without risking a jail sentance. Hopefully something similar will happen to this man before it gets out of hand.http://www.thisisbath.co.uk/news/Beggar-gets-Asbo-ban/article-3204569-detail/article.html

Beth Hippisley ● 5693d

I think the police would still like more statements so if Jeremy or others who have witnessed him action, get in touch with Sgt Pullen, I expcet he will sort it.

Sara Nathan ● 5693d

Will do

Jeremy Thorpe-Woods ● 5693d

Lorna Dodd ● 5684d

thanks... this must be the guy; I missed this thread (soz..) but I took his picture a couple of weeks ago and now just shouts bitch at me. Its slightly upsetting that he needs some help but is to stupid to find it and can only keep annoying our locals asking for money. How to find Sgt Pullen then?

Michelle Legare ● 5684d

MARK.A.Pullen@met.police.uk

Sara Nathan ● 5684d

Of course he is going to call you a bitch you took his photograph without asking his permission. The Guy is from Iraq who knows what he has seen. But you have violated his personal space and you have got what was coming to you. But of course you would not understand such things like that. Some cultures see taking photographs as as stealing the soul.I look forward to the torrent of abuse from most on her but do I care? No!

Colin Carroll ● 5683d

Perfectly fine to take his picture whilst in the commission of an arrestable/recordable offence. He's violating our personal space. And in any case the Vagrancy Act is still in force which is is offending against!

T Beme ● 5683d

I believe you can legally take the picture of anyone in a public place - whatever they are doing - unless they have a legitimate expectation of privacy - which is not usually the case in the street.Though there is a recent law which allows the police to stop you which inhibits news camera quite unreasonably. But that' supposed to be to do with terrorism/state security.I don't think the begging man has a case.

Sara Nathan ● 5683d

thanks for Sgt P's contact as for picture taking I know I can't commercially publish it without his permission but I believe I'm allowed to take it. I'm not sure he was worried about his soul but more about his actions being recorded. Colin it's mean to think that I deserve  a torrent of abuse for trying in a small way to protect my community. You seem to know our our favourite beggar maybe you could explain to him aggressive begging and  verbal abuse are inappropriate behaviour in Acton.

Michelle Legare ● 5682d

....or anywhere else?

Sara Nathan ● 5682d

Colin will correct me if I'm wrong, but I think he meant to say torrent of abuse on HERE, not her ie that he was expecting abuse against himself for daring to suggest that this guy might be upset at having his photo taken. What was he doing while you were taking his photo? I must say I wouldn't like just anyone taking mine without permission.

Chris Hurley ● 5682d

Don't really DO torrents of abuse here though.Wrong forum maybe!

Sara Nathan ● 5682d

Though on the photo diversion, I took a photo of a young male moments after watching him in what looked highly like dealing drugs (I say highly likely, in my mind I am certain) in the entrance of Acton Park by the overground. I emailed the photo to Acton Central Safer Neighbourhood Team over a week ago and have had no response. We can but try eh.

Guy Campbell ● 5681d

Though on the photo diversion, I took a photo of a young male moments after watching him in what looked highly like dealing drugs (I say highly likely, in my mind I am certain) in the entrance of Acton Park by the overground. I emailed the photo to Acton Central Safer Neighbourhood Team over a week ago and have had no response. We can but try eh.

Guy Campbell ● 5681d

Ladies and Gents;I was on holiday last week, the team were also short in numbers - apologies to those I have not made contact with as yet. Ploughing through the emails as I send this message so expect a reply soon. Mark PullenSergeant Acton Central

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5681d

Dear all the ASBO has been granted and is now in place. Please let the team know if he continues to beg. We may require a statement and can then arrest him for the breach. On 28/03/2011 at Ealing Magistrates Court Mr ............... was given a second ASBO, which expires on 28/03/2013. His conditions are that he must not;1. Enter the area as outlined in red on MAP E, with the exception being, when on public or private transport travelling through the prohibited area without alighting. The roads on this map include; The HIGH STREET ACTON from but not including the junction of STEYNE ROAD to the junction of BIRKBECK ROAD, BERRYMEAD GARDENS, LOCARNO ROAD, KING STREET, THE MOUNT, MARKET PLACE, HOOPERS MEWS, CHURCHFIELD ROAD from but not including the junction of HORN LANE to the junction of NEWBURGH ROAD.2. Approach persons unknown to ask for money, or alms in England and Wales.There is only a small part of Churchfield Road covered as he lives very near by - King Street to Newburgh Road.

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5651d

Thanks for letting us know.Was there any part of the proceedings that might get him some help - or was it all punitive?

Sara Nathan ● 5651d

Mark - are ASBO'S proven to solve the problem?

Dee Cook ● 5651d

In reply to questions:*No he was not offered assistance with underlying issues; the hearing was simply to consider the ASBO. If breached and sentenced then such measures should be considered and put into place. *Do ASBO's work? All things considered I have to say that ASBO's are positive. The granting of the ASBO does not always stop offending as it is down to the individual to comply. On the plus side they do set into stone areas the individual is not to attend (i.e. the areas the subject is causing the most trouble), behaviors the subject is prohibited from doing. The ASBO also provides Police the power of arrest and a quick and straight forward prosecution following a breach.

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5651d

So this means that if I am sat in the Garden at the Station House he is not allowed to come in and ask me for cigarettes every minute I am there? Call me thick or maybe its because I am new to the area still but I am not quite being able to picture/understand all of where he is not allowed to go. Maybe I need to get on Google maps.

Beth Hippisley ● 5651d

Do cigarettes count as alms? What are alms?

Chris Hurley ● 5651d

Alms = Money or goods given as charity to the poor.

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5651d

I am sat in the Station House now and he is in the garden pestering us all, what are we supposed to do in this situation? He is getting quite annoying and annoyed.

Beth Hippisley ● 5645d

Report him to the community police - with witnesses - so can enforce the asbo?

Sara Nathan ● 5644d

If this person is on private property, ie, the pub, surely the management of the pub can ask him to leave.If he does not, then the police should be called and asked to remove him.

Dee Cook ● 5644d

The staff do their best to keep him out but I really think he treats it as a game now.Not sure if his ASBO covers the Station House or just the Rocket, I was walking up Birkbeck the other day and heard him talking to a fella saying how he couldn't go into the Rocket because he is barred, he seems to be staying away from there so it does make me wonder about the Station House too...

Beth Hippisley ● 5643d

It looks to me from the ASBO which was posted on this thread earlier by PS Mark Pullen that he is allowed on Churchfield Road but not further up (Newburgh to Horn Lane)as he lives locally. It must be possible to do something about this annoying and bothersome man who is a mini-blight on a nice bit of Churchfield Road.

Clare Gittins ● 5642d

Part two of the ASBO, as reported above in this thread, says:... he must not ...2. Approach persons unknown to ask for money, or alms in England and Wales.-- so that would seem to indicate that he is not allowed to beg anywhere here, although where he is allowed to 'be' in Acton is more limited. So if he is pestering customers in a local pub, he should surely be reported to the police.

Lorna Dodd ● 5642d

Does this person have 'mental' difficulties?  If yes,have Social Services been asked to intervene?

Dee Cook ● 5642d

Dear all, the condition not to beg covers England and Wales. It appears he has breached the ASBO already and we have been provided a statement by a member of the public. He will be arrested for this breach and if CPS authorise sent to court. If anyone else has witnessed him begging since the ASBO and are happy to provide a statement then please make contact with me.For your information I am told the chap has since shaved his head and beard (presumably in an attempt to avoid being identified)Mark

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5642d

Three times i have been approached by a 6 foot 2-ish beggar in his 20's. He has a slight limp and uses the same line: "Can i ask you a big favour...?" Anyone else been approached by him?

David Wright ● 5641d

The begger Mr Khamou was arrested today and charged to appear at Ealing magistrates. Again many thanks to those who provided statements.

PS 101XB Mark Pullen ● 5641d