Online Reporter
WHEN Tatenda Mushandu arrived in England, he chose to settle close in a town with a name which had a familiar ringing tone.
The 40-year-old settled in Amesbury, in southern Wiltshire, which is about 11km northwest of the English town of Salisbury.
For 92 years, this used to be the name of Zimbabwe’s capital city until it was changed to Harare on April 18, 1982.
But, while many Zimbabweans who have settled in the UK have made names for themselves, for the right reasons, Mushandu is not one of them.
He is making a name for all the wrong reasons.
He has been issued with a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) for a number of anti-social behaviour-related offences, including persistent borrowing.
Mushandu, 40, of Maple Way, Amesbury, appeared at Salisbury Magistrates Court on February 10, where he was convicted of four counts of persistent begging in a public place.
The court imposed a three-year CBO on Mushandu, valid until February 2029, with the following prohibitions/conditions:
- Prohibition: cease approaching any member of the public requesting donations or implying you need donations, sitting or loitering within 50 metres of any shop of business in Amesbury
- Not to enter the entirety of Solstice Park Services, which incorporates all car parks, footpaths and the areas in between commercial premises within the retail park boundary.
- Not to attend or enter Co-Op Boscombe Road Amesbury, Co-Op Salisbury Street Amesbury and One Stop Sandell Place Amesbury.
PC Emma Smith of Amesbury’s neighbourhood policing team said:
“I am pleased that the court has seen fit to deal robustly with Mushandu’s chronic offending by issuing this three-year CBO.
“His behaviours have caused harassment, alarm and distress to members of the public, in particular people shopping at and working in local retail outlets.
“This will allow police to take positive and swift action against him going forward, should he breach the order.
“If Mushandu breaches any of the conditions imposed, he commits a criminal offence and is liable to arrest and once again he will be put before the courts.
“The restrictions imposed on him sends out a clear message that this type of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated and our team are working to seek similar conditions against other known local perpetrators of retail related offences in Amesbury.”
He is also banned from sitting or loitering within 50 metres of any shop or business in Amesbury.
Additionally, he is not allowed to enter Solstice Park Services, including its car parks, footpaths, and the areas between commercial premises within the retail park boundary.
Officers are requesting that callers provide Mushandu’s name, a description of his clothing, his exact location, and his direction of travel if he has already left the area, along with details of the breach witnessed. – H-Metro Reporter/Wiltshire Police/Salisbury Journal
Mathew Masinge