Beggar gangs banned in Hammersmith

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Begging women with children 'tug at heart strings'

Persistent beggars have been banned from streets in Hammersmith and Fulham thanks to ASBOs obtained by Westminster Council and the Metropolitan Police.

 

The ASBOs are to be enforced against 13 people who have been caught aggressively begging on the streets with small children.

 

Westminster Council said the beggars were not desperate mothers, but part of a large, organised gang.

 

The 13 persistent beggars have been banned from various parts of Westminster and Kensington and Chelsea as well as Hammersmith and Fulham.

 

Cllr Daniel Astaire, cabinet member for Community Protection at Westminster Council, said: “These people were part of a large, organised gang that used children as props to make money.

 

"This kind of aggressive behaviour to tug on the heart-strings of passers-by is despicable and will not be tolerated.

 

"We have a range of support services for people who are in need of help so there really is no need to beg and we will continue to work with other agencies to prevent this unfair and abusive treatment of children.”

January 1, 2009