Homeless man's strolls through Worksop town centre nearly ended in prison

A homeless man who was banned from Worksop town centre for being a nuisance faced a prison sentence when he returned there to collect food from a friend, a court heard.
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Darren Morley, 51, admitted breaching the criminal behaviour order on December 9 ,10, and 13, when he appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court, on Thursday.

David Grant, mitigating, said he had watched Morley slide downhill through alcohol problems over the years.

“I thought we were going to find him dead in a shop doorway,” he said.

But recently Morley had gotten a grip on his drinking and was “looking better today.”

Mr Grant said Morley had caused no problems when he returned to the town centre.

On one occasion he had been waiting to meet a probation officer to sign documents for accommodation, and on another he had been heading to meet a friend who was going to give him some food.

“He hasn’t caused a jot of nuisance to anyone and he wasn’t in drink,” Mr Grant added.

Probation officer Lucy Harrison said Morley was engaging well with the service.

Magistrates warned him that he would lose the support of the probation service if he kept breaching the order.

Morley received 12 weeks in prison, suspended for one year, and was ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge.

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