HUDDLED on a cold floor, the stale smell of beer and fags emanating from his coat, a beggar grumbles at passers-by to ‘spare any change’.
Shoppers and business workers rush past him as they hurry to get out of the grimy subway under the Bars roundabout and up on to the streets as they make their way back to their offices or toward the safety of the city centre shops.
But one couple, dressed smartly in suits, stop and talk to the homeless man, who holds up a rotting pizza box scrawled with ‘homeless and destitute a small donation please’, before showing their police badges and calling in support from uniformed officers waiting above.
As the man’s details are taken and he reluctantly agrees to attend a meeting for an anti-social behaviour contract before being moved on, PC Martin Redhead explained the ongoing battle by police to clean up the streets of Chester and the fear many visitors and residents feel when approached by these sometimes violent beggars.
“We have seen an increase in the amount of begging and violent crime and anti-social behaviour, especially around the Bars roundabout, over the past few months,” said PC Redhead, who added that the beggars were mostly passive but most were drug users and alcoholics and could become quickly aggressive.
“They can be very violent and aggressive both to members of the public and each other. Their very presence is tarnishing the reputation of the city. They often ask people to part with money before turning violent and attacking them.”
The three-day special police operation, called Operation Drave, which ended last Friday, November 16, came after a violent argument between two beggars over a ‘begging spot’ at the roundabout. A violent fight ensued where a smashed bottle was used as a weapon and one of the beggars had their ear bitten off.
And the problem around the Bars roundabout is becoming so serious that the area has become a hotspot for begging and anti-social behaviour. Gangs of homeless people hang around, follow people through the city and even plague local bars and businesses, drink leftover beer off tables and use toilets to inject drugs.
During the operation police moved beggars from the city’s subways and from outside bars, pubs and cash points, and officers watched from police cars for any gangs gathering to beg around the Cross and Bars roundabout.
The officers questioned men swaying from intoxication, often asking if they had needles on them and during the operation apprehended a gang of Polish men outside a bank carrying debit cards which were suspected to have been used in a crime.
The operation was heralded a success by police, seeing:
A man arrested for robbery.
An individual arrested for a public order offence.
Dozens of anti-social behaviour contracts issued to beggars across the city.
PC Redhead said visitors and residents, especially young girls and single women, should not feel threatened by the presence of beggars as they walk through the city – especially in areas such as the subway, which are not covered by the city’s extensive CCTV.
“Our message is clear – anti-social behaviour of any type that affects members of our residential and business communities will not be tolerated and we will act fairly and robustly in dealing with such matters in the city centre,” he added.
