Dad banned from every pub in town by court

From the The Wiltshire Gazette and Herald, first published Thursday 5th Jan 2006.

YOUNG dad Kevin Waters has been banned from every pub in Devizes town centre because of his drunken behaviour.

The ban was imposed by magistrates in Chippenham on Tuesday. Waters appeared for sentencing for being drunk and disorderly in High Street, Devizes, after celebrating his 25th birthday on November 30.

Waters, of Eastleigh Road, was in breach of a suspended prison sentence imposed by Chippenham Magistrates Court on October 28 for offences including assault on a police officer, criminal damage and breach of a community punishment order.

On Tuesday the magistrates decided not to send him to prison but imposed a new suspended prison sentence for six months and increased the existing curfew of 8pm to 8am until March 28.

As part of the suspended sentence they banned the father of one from entering pubs and clubs in the Devizes alcohol exclusion zone and he must not go within ten metres of them. He was also banned from consuming alcohol in a public place, and forbidden to be drunk in any public place.

He will also be supervised by the Probation Service for six months.

Devizes police applied for a post conviction anti social behaviour order to be imposed on Waters but this was rejected by the magistrates.

The order would have been for two years and the conditions being sought were that Waters be banned from possessing or consuming alcohol in a public place, using threatening or abusive words or behaviour, causing or threatening criminal damage and being banned from the town centre between 7pm and 7am.

Ruth Jackson, prosecuting, said Waters had 22 convictions for some 37 offences since 1996. She said he had caused distress to residents and to pub door staff.

PC Andy Lemon of Devizes police told the court: "The common theme running through most of Mr Water's arrests is that he is intoxicated. This has an impact on his behaviour in the community. Due to the nature of Mr Water's offending and the large amount of it in the last 12 months he has moved to a prolific and persistent offender status."

Andrew Eddy, defending, said Waters was on medication for depression caused by his father's terminal illness and death.

He said Waters had not had a drink for two weeks and had been referred to an alcohol agency for help.

He said: "Mr Waters has turned a corner now. He is unwell and unfit to work but hopes to recover in due course."

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