Homeless man jailed after breaching Retford town centre ban by sitting outside a tent

Shane Hulls had become the subject of an anti-social behaviour injunction on on May 17 but has breached it on several occasions.

The injunction prevented him from entering an exclusion zone around the town centre, other than in limited circumstances including to visit his pharmacy or the Bassetlaw District Council’s emergency winter shelter.

The latest breach came when a Nottinghamshire Police PCSO saw Hulls sat outside a tent in Kings’ Park in Retford – just days after he had been bailed for a previous alleged breach.

Hulls was jailed for 28 days at Mansfield Magistrates Court last month.

District Judge Potts said: “I made it clear he [Hulls] was not to go in the exclusion and he ignored it within 24 hours. There can be no more disregard than this.

“I need to impose some kind of custodial sentence. My first question is should it be immediate or suspend it in some way.

"I am not satisfied this is one I should suspend. As the breach is such a fragrant disregard for the Court it requires immediate custody.”

Cabinet member for Neighbourhoods at Bassetlaw District Council, councillor Julie Leigh, said: “Mr Hulls has been a persistent nuisance and has shown no regard for the previous judgments of the court or the restrictions that are contained within the injunction.

"We support the judgement of the court and hope this sends a message that we will not hesitate to act if anyone who is subject to an ASB Injunction does not abide by its conditions.”

Since the order was granted, Hulls has served half of his sentence and has been released.

The injunction has been extended to March 31, 2022 and has been amended to include the power of arrest should he breach it again.