Trio prosecuted for non-payment of fines

Kirsty Jemmett, 32, and Angela Jemmett, also 32, both of St Cuthbert’s Street, Hartlepool, and Donna Stokes, 41 of Windermere Road, Hartlepool, had each previously been ordered to pay £100 for not complying with a Community Protection Notice – a legal order designed to curb their behaviour.

When they failed to pay the fines, the Hartlepool Community Safety Team launched legal proceedings at Teesside Magistrates Court.

As a result, Kirsty Jemmett and Angela Jemmett were each fined £150 with £240 costs and a £30 victim surcharge, while Stokes was fined £150 with £160 costs and a £30 victim surcharge.

Nicholas Stone, Neighbourhood Safety Team Leader with Hartlepool Borough Council, said: “We hope these prosecutions demonstrate that the Hartlepool Community Safety Team will continue to pursue anyone who refuses to stop behaving in an anti-social manner and who refuses to pay a fine.

“These prosecutions highlight our determination to make Hartlepool a safer town and address law-abiding residents’ community safety concerns.”

Teesside Magistrates also imposed Criminal Behaviour Orders on Angela Jemmett and Kirsty Jemmett which say they must not:

• Act in a way that causes, or is likely to cause, harassment, alarm or distress to one or more persons within the Borough of Hartlepool.
• Use threatening, insulting or abusive words or behaviour in any place to which the public have access within the Borough of Hartlepool.
• Consume alcohol in any publicly accessible place in the open air within the Borough of Hartlepool.
• Loiter in any publicly accessible place within the Borough of Hartlepool whilst intoxicated.
• Be in possession of needles or other items used for the administration of controlled substances in any publicly accessible place in the open air within the Borough of Hartlepool.
• Administer to themselves or any other person in any publicly accessible place, or within the view of any member of the public, any controlled drug or substance suspected to be a controlled drug as defined by the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971.
• Enter or attempt to enter the Central Library in York Road, Hartlepool.

Breach of a Criminal Behaviour Order can be punished by up to 5 years in prison, a fine or both.

Anyone experiencing crime or anti-social behaviour issues in their neighbourhood can contact the Hartlepool Community Safety Team on community.safety@hartlepool.gov.uk or (01429) 523100.