A Surrey woman appeared at Guildford County Court last month for breaching her ASB (anti-social behavior) Injunction by begging at the Esso Petrol Station on the A31, Hogs Back.

Julie Ann Stevens, who first received an Injunction last October at Guildford County Court (which prohibited her from begging within 20 miles of her home in the village of Tongham), admitted to approaching a member of public for money at the petrol station on January 14.

The Judge recognised that Stevens was remorseful and accepted her assurances that she would not breach the Order again. She was sentenced to time already spent in custody following her arrest, so this sentence has been deemed served. The Judge commented that she was also imposing an additional prohibition, preventing Stevens from attending the Esso Petrol Station on the Hogs Back, “to prevent further harassment of the public”.

Joanna Grimshaw, from the Anti-Social Behaviour Team at Surrey Police said: “Julie Ann Stevens is well known in the area and it is thanks to the local community that she was caught breaching her conditions. We need to send a strong message to those who seek to break their injunctions and we would urge members of the public to alert us to any further breaches in the future.”

Stevens’ injunction precludes her from entering the Esso site as well as begging from any person within 20 miles of her home address unless she personally knows the person.