Well-known Wakefield beggar could be kicked out of city centre

A persistent beggar who is regularly seen with her bandana-wearing pet dog is to fight plans to impose a criminal behaviour order on her that could ban her from the city centre.
Angela Fenton outside Leeds Magistrates' Court.Angela Fenton outside Leeds Magistrates' Court.
Angela Fenton outside Leeds Magistrates' Court.

Wakefield Council has applied for the CBO for nuisance offender Angela Fenton, who was recently found guilty during a magistrates hearing of multiple counts of begging.

The 47-year-old is often seen wearing a flat cap and sat with her pet Staffordshire Bull Terrier in various parts of the city, including outside The Ridings entrance on Cathedral Walk, asking passers by for spare change.

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She had been found guilty of four counts of begging between March and April on Southgate and Union Street in the Wakefield, and failing to surrender to custody.

Fenton is opposing a criminal behaviour order.Fenton is opposing a criminal behaviour order.
Fenton is opposing a criminal behaviour order.

Fenton did not turn up for that hearing at Kirklees Magistrates’ Court and a warrant was put out for her arrest.

On Friday she was almost two hours late for an appearance at Leeds Magistrates’ Court where the application for the CBO order was set to be made.

Her solicitor, Catherine McCullagh, informed the court that her client would be contesting the order so the magistrates were forced to adjourn the matter until a later date.

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Fenton, who gave a care-of address as Park Lodge Lane, Eastmoor, will also be sentenced for the guilty verdicts from her begging charges.

However, during the short hearing, the prosecution said that during January and February of this year alone, more than 70 calls were made to police about Fenton begging, either from people naming her or giving a description matching her appearance.

Fenton is due before the magistrates again on October 7, in which time a psychiatric report on her will be prepared.

Meanwhile Wakefield Council is remaining tight lipped over the conditions of the CBO it hopes to impose.

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They are often given to persistent offenders in a last-ditch effort for them to curb their behaviour.

In many cases, it stipulates that offenders must stay out of a city centre or risk being sent to prison.