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Police: Blackburn prostitute crackdown is working (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Police: Blackburn prostitute crackdown is working
8:40pm Thursday 26th November 2009
POLICE have said a new initiative to get prostitutes off the street and on courses was a ‘work in progress’ after a woman was brought before court.
Officers in the Bank Top area have been issuing street sex workers and kerb crawlers with conditional cautions to attend educational sessions to change their behaviour.
But after a prostitute was arrested for a second time - despite already taking part in a course - Sergeant Kevin Jones said it was an ongoing project.
Michelle Jeal, 35, of Cherry Lodge, Islington, was given a conditional discharge for six months by Blackburn magistrates after pleading guilty to soliciting for the purpose of prostitution.
The court heard Jeal had beaten a heroin habit but was still fighting an addiction to cocaine. She was waiting for a place to come available at a rehab unit.
Two men who had approached her on Harrison Street on November 11, before driving her to Preston New Road, were also arrested by plain clothed police officers and were given conditional cautions.
They are now amongst several other men awaiting the next course in January.
Sgt Jones said: “The courts are totally independent and decide what penalty.
“Prostitution is not an imprisonable offence and our wish is for them to be given these conditional cautions.
“But Michelle has already had that and she now only gets one more chance. If she’s arrested again for soliciting we will go to the courts and seek a form of ASBO with stringent conditions.
“I think in fairness the girls were always going to be the tough nut to crack. They have long-term substance issues and it would be quite naive for me to turn up with a new idea to solve all their woes.
“But I’m yet to have the same man arrested twice. It’s a success with them men and a work in progress with the girls.”
The three-year strategy proposes to offer education instead of criminal charges to crackdown on prostitution in the town, particularly in the Bank Top area It aims to bring kerb crawlers face to face with the misery that prostitution brings for the prostitutes themselves and the community.
People caught kerb crawling are offered a conditional caution, meaning they won’t face charges if they pay £75 to attend an educational three-hour course.
The course will deal with the dangers of prostitution, the law, the impact of their behaviour on the community, health risks and what happens if they re-offend.
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Your Say YourTelegraph
burner, blackburn says...
9:24pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Bill Carson, Mill Hill says...
9:33pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Tough job this crime lark eh lads, 3yrs plain clothes duty, sat in cars watching out for prostitutes, must be hell out there...!!
powerpop, Cork says...
10:44pm Thu 26 Nov 09
Jimmy Paterson, Shadow of Pendle says...
8:45am Fri 27 Nov 09
CAG1, Blackburn with Darwen says...
9:46am Fri 27 Nov 09
Izanears, Nelson says...
10:33am Fri 27 Nov 09
time.team, Blackburn says...
1:12pm Fri 27 Nov 09
BUT PROSTITUTION IS NOT ELEGAL - BUT STREET PROSTITUTION IS! (Please write that down if you can’t remember it!).
But ever since Jack Straw and his mates did away with the main persuasion of prison as a deterrent all efforts to control the problem will always lack backbone. Probably the real reason is that the prisons don’t have any room any more and the girls working the streets don’t want to be controlled as ‘legal’ prostitution demands because they just want to fund their habit only when they have to. That’s the only reason that their there!
So let’s all support the police for at least trying to do something even under present difficulties and take notice to what the Burnley police are doing in their efforts to control the ‘scum‘ who deal the drugs?
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:26pm Fri 27 Nov 09
It seems a bit sad that they have to target women and men with learning difficulties to show how effective and clever their policies are.
brfcianbrfc, blackburn says...
8:45pm Fri 27 Nov 09
Jimmy Paterson wrote:You probably wouldnt be saying that if you lived in that area. The only thing that you need to worry about in the shadow of pendle is who is doing what to the sheep.
Waste of time and money targetting these lowlifes -- can we have the plain clothes police catching some proper criminals instead
RAyzer, BURNLEY says...
1:00pm Sat 28 Nov 09
Lifeinthemix, Accrington says...
1:21pm Sat 28 Nov 09
.
So we should see a lot more sexual offences now the means to sexual release is being removed from those who cannot get it the normal way, well done the police, creating crime to justify their angst...
time.team, Blackburn says...
2:07pm Sat 28 Nov 09
Perhaps you could also have some designated area where anyone wanting to take part in the self motivated cruel sport of dog fighting could go there legally without the police doing anything!
-
Out of sights all right, I think is what your saying?
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
2:56pm Tue 1 Dec 09
Unlike dog fighting, (and I don't know how you do it) but two adult people engaged in sexual activity doesn't usually result in any pain being caused.
I agree, sha*gging in the middle of the street can sometimes be an inconvenience for both parties.
mazx4, blackburn says...
11:30pm Tue 1 Dec 09
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:24pm Wed 2 Dec 09
Ken Shuffles, burnley says...
3:32pm Wed 2 Dec 09
time.team, Blackburn says...
11:20pm Tue 15 Dec 09
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time.team, Blackburn says...
9:11pm Thu 26 Nov 09