ANTI-social behaviour and shoplifting has seen this man banned from shops in a town centre.

Paul Hargreaves has been given a two-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO), which started on March 20 this year.

It means he is prohibited from entering any part of the Mall Blackburn.

This includes all shops and stalls adjoined to it on Northgate, King William Street, Ainsworth Street, Church Street and Blackburn Market.

He is also banned from entering any Morrisons store in Lancashire, including Blackburn’s until March 20, 2020.

The court order was requested due to anti-social behaviour and previous offences of shoplifting in and around Blackburn town centre by Hargreaves.

Hargreaves was subject to a civil ban from Morrisons, Blackburn Mall and the stores of all members of the Blackburn Business Against Crime (BBAC) but continued to enter the premises.

Community Beat Manager PC Chris Hammill said: “Hargreaves persistently stole from the Morrisons store and he particularly targeted the store in Blackburn.

“He also targeted stores in the Mall where he was deterred from entering the Mall or ejected 18 times.

“He just kept trying to go back and persistently enter places and it was the fear, alarm and distress his presence caused for security and shoppers.

“The Blackburn Business Against Crime members approached me requesting for something to be done about it, so I applied for the order.

“The CBO gives a power of arrest, making it now a criminal offence if he goes back to the Mall or Morrisons stores.

“So hopefully it will act as a deterrence and prevent him from entering these premises.”

Cllr Hussain Akhtar, who represents the town centre area of Blackburn on Blackburn with Darwen Council, backed the order.

He said: “I’d welcome it as if people engage in shoplifting and anti-social behaviour, they should be punished.

Fellow Blackburn town centre councillor Suleman Khonat said: “I’d welcome the order.

“Hopefully it will act as a deterrence to him and other people who think they can behave in the same way.”