Immigrant first man jailed for squatting (From Lancashire Telegraph)
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Immigrant first man jailed for squatting
1:13pm Tuesday 5th February 2013 in Blackburn
By Jonathon Dillon, Assistant news editor
A MAN has been jailed for squatting under legislation that came into force in September.
Blackburn magistrates heard Michael Minorczyk, who it is thought is the first person in the country to be jailed under the new act, was ordered out of a house in Wellington Street and told not to return.
But he failed to heed the warning and police found him in a drunken stupor sleeping in a makeshift bed in a downstairs room.
Minorczyk, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to squatting and was jailed for 15 weeks.
The prosecution was brought under the Legal Aid, Sentencing and Punishment Act 2012 which made squatting an offence.
Prosecutor Catherine Allan said the offence carried a maximum sentence of six months in prison.
Police had been asked to remove Minorczyk from the boarded-up house.
They entered through a broken door and could see the defendant was sleeping on a makeshift bed in a downstairs room. He was told to leave and not to return but came back shortly after,” said Miss Allan.
Ian Huggan, defending, said Minorczyk had come to the UK from Poland in 2005.
He got a job and everything was fine until the breakdown of his relationship.
He returned to Poland “to straighten his head” but when he came back to Blackburn found that his former partner had started a new relationship.
“He had hoped to reconcile the relationship and was unable to cope with the situation he was faced with,” said Mr Huggan.
“He started to drink and unfortunately the drink has taken over his life. He hasn’t caused any difficulties other than being in a property he shouldn’t have been in.”
Comments(14)
TONY WALES
says...
2:26pm Tue 5 Feb 13
There cannot be any other country in the world that allows immigrants such rights, any other country would have kicked him out..
What country would give a squatter a roof over their heads, a warm prison cell, 3 good meals a day (even horsemeat to eat), and be able to watch Sky TV.
I sometimes wonder if I would be better off in prison, and would be warmer than paying such large gas, and electric bills.
chris283
says...
2:29pm Tue 5 Feb 13
chris283
says...
2:37pm Tue 5 Feb 13
HarryBosch
says...
3:43pm Tue 5 Feb 13
workaholic wrote:That depends on whether or not Chris Grayling's 'spartan prisons' policy with the end of tv's and other privilege's has been introduced yet. But as I recall, the reson the government introduced tvs for prisoners was to keep them quiet and relaxed after the riots. They were able to reduce the number of officer's because it worked so well. Now with officer numbers at an all time low me thinks they're storing up trouble for themselves for the not too distant future.
Bet he's rubbing his hands - out of a cold dark damp environment into fresh clean cloths, free entertainment and 3 free meals a day. I know where I'd rather be in this freezing weather ! Well done son !
Izanears
says...
3:53pm Tue 5 Feb 13
happycyclist
says...
4:46pm Tue 5 Feb 13
midas
says...
5:06pm Tue 5 Feb 13
happycyclist wrote:You won't have read of any as an ASBO isn't a Criminal sentence.
If all he was doing was sleeping in an abandoned house, this is ridiculous. How many times do we read in the LT of people with a string of convictions and antisocial behaviour who are just given asbos?
mys
says...
8:35pm Tue 5 Feb 13
julespent
says...
8:55pm Tue 5 Feb 13
Good call
says...
8:58pm Tue 5 Feb 13
mys wrote:So should the nations which Britons have moved to "send them back where they belong".As for the bloke who has been jailed,WHY he caused no injury harm or loss.That can't be said for the physcopaths who are running the world.
The thingis he wasn't causing any harm to anyone by sleeping in a empty house, I agree with chris283 though, send all the foreigners back were they belong and kick this government out, ukip it is for me too, whoever voted for Cameron deserve all they get.
julespent
says...
9:02pm Tue 5 Feb 13
midas
says...
10:50am Wed 6 Feb 13
julespent wrote:His prison sentence was, wait for it.......the maximum he could have got.
I agree with happycyclist. There are people who do a lot worse than sleeping in an empty house and dont go to prison. The man was having a tough time, he will probably come out worse than when he went in. Anyone could end up in that situation, he needed help not a prison sentence. The driver who was a failed asylum seeker who was banned from driving for no licence or insurance, drove while disqualified, knocked down a girl, failed to stop, left the car on top of her, she died. His prison sentence was, wait for it........4 months!!! These are the ones who need deporting!
midas
says...
10:52am Wed 6 Feb 13
TONY WALES wrote:This has nothing to do with the Human Rights Act!! Can you name ANY OTHER COUNTRY IN THE WORLD where immigrants don't have the same rights as the other citizens?
Get rid of the Human Rights Act, get out of the EU (vote UKIP) , and send him back to Poland. There cannot be any other country in the world that allows immigrants such rights, any other country would have kicked him out.. What country would give a squatter a roof over their heads, a warm prison cell, 3 good meals a day (even horsemeat to eat), and be able to watch Sky TV. I sometimes wonder if I would be better off in prison, and would be warmer than paying such large gas, and electric bills.
workaholic says...
1:42pm Tue 5 Feb 13