A prolific shoplifter who continued to steal despite over eighty court appearances and numerous prison sentences has been banned from entering two town centres and a supermarket.
Rhondda Cynon Taf Community Safety Partnership attended court this week to secure a strict Crime Related Anti Social Behaviour Order against Jamie John Perkins due to his excessive and unacceptable offending.
As a result of evidence put before Rhondda Magistrates’ Court by CSP staff, Perkins is now banned from:
- Entering the town centre of Pontypridd (Taff Street, Market Street, Mill Street, Church Street and High Street) at any time.
- Entering the retail parks of Talbot Green at any time
- Entering the Co-Operative stores in Tonypandy at any time
The order will remain in place until October 18 2012 and Perkins, 34, of Bryn Hedd, Hendreforgan, faces immediate arrest and imprisonment if he is caught breaching its terms.
It is hoped the order and the strict sanctions it places on Perkins’ movements will finally give town centre shop staff and businesses a reprieve from the negative impact of his persistent stealing.
Perkins has appeared in court a staggering 81 times since 1995, all for stealing items, including charity collection boxes and staff tip collections, from shops.
He has been sent to prison and Young Offenders’ Institutes 46 times, fined on numerous occasions and also ordered to complete many intensive drug treatment courses in a bid to deal with the addiction that fuels his offending.
None of the previous action taken has resulted in Perkins’ dealing with his drug habit and ceasing his offending, which was having a devastating impact on the town centres and small shops and businesses from which he was stealing.
It is hoped the order, which will go hand-in-hand with continued substance misuse support, will end his damaging pattern of behaviour once and for all.
Paul Cannon, Chair of the Community Safety Partnership, said: “This is an individual with a significant and shocking history of offending. It seemed no penalty imposed upon him by the court was enough to stop him from relentlessly stealing whatever he could from shops and businesses.
“We do not want individuals like him in our town centres, as they have a negative impact on the local economy, the prosperity and confidence of businesses and also on the perceptions of those who visit our town centres to shop and socialise.
“As such, we have taken the extreme action of banning him from such areas at all times in the hopes we can change his behaviour but, importantly, protect the public and the economy from his extreme shoplifting.”
