Crime
Peterborough: Trio of prolific shoplifters placed on ‘banned list’
Police in Peterborough secured their third Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) in less than a fortnight against prolific shoplifters.
Paul English was arrested on Sunday after being caught stealing from B & M store Bridge Street.
He’s now been banned from all B&M and Tesco stores in Peterborough, and the whole of Brotherhood Retail Park after admitting seven different shoplifting offences.
Paul English was arrested on Sunday after being caught stealing from B & M store Bridge Street.
English, 42, was already subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) following previous convictions for theft from motor vehicles but has had the order extended until 30 July 2026.
In addition to being banned from touching any vehicle belonging to someone else, the order now states English, of no fixed address, must not enter Brotherhood Retail Park, any Tesco or B&M store in Peterborough.
“Failure to comply with the conditions of the CBO is an arrestable offence which could result in a prison sentence, fine or both,” said a police spokesperson.
The order was sought by Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Prevention and Vulnerability Hub, after English was arrested on Sunday afternoon (30 July) in Bridge Street, Peterborough city centre, after being caught stealing from B&M.
He was charged with 10 offences, all of which he admitted at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on Monday (31 July):
- Theft of alcohol from Tesco, Serpentine Green, on 30 June
- Theft of alcohol from Tesco in Serpentine Green, on 30 June
- Theft of alcohol from Tesco in Werrington on 1 July
- Theft of a wallet from a vehicle in St John’s Street, Boongate, on 8 July
- Theft of alcohol from Tesco in Serpentine Green, Hampton, on 10 July
- Theft of a wallet from a vehicle in Cobden Avenue, Millfield, on 10 July
- Theft of shoes from Next, Brotherhood Retail Park, on 15 July
- Theft of two handbags from TK Maxx, Brotherhood Retail Park, on 16 July
- Theft of clothing from a vehicle in Chestnut Avenue, Dogsthorpe, on 26 July
- Theft of two pairs of headphones from B&M, Bridge Street, on 30 July
As well as the additions to his existing CBO, he was sentenced to a total of 36 weeks in prison and must pay £268 in compensation to Tesco and £45 to B&M.
Sergeant Rob Reay, from the force’s Prevention & Vulnerability Hub, said: “This is the third CBO we have been successful in applying for in two weeks relating to shoplifting in Peterborough.
“For repeat offenders such as English, we are using other powers such as applying for CBOs to prevent them from entering areas where they are committing crime and causing harm, reducing the impact on both local businesses and the force.”
On July 20 a woman with a string of shoplifting convictions in Peterborough was also made subject of a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning her from Queensgate shopping centre.
Jolene Maughan, 35, was handed the two-year order at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Thursday.
The order states Maughan, of no fixed address, must not enter Queensgate shopping centre or Asda in Rivergate, unless for a pre-arranged appointment.
Jolene Maughan has a string of convictions for shoplifting
Failure to comply with the condition of the CBO is an arrestable offence which could result in a prison sentence, fine or both.
The order was sought by officers from Cambridgeshire Constabulary’s Prevention and Vulnerability Hub, due to Maughan’s level of offending over the last two months and the demand it has been putting on the force, amounting to 13 shoplifting-related offences:
She also has 19 theft and similar offences recorded against her name.
Completing the trio of successful CBOs was Edward Wilby, 33, who repeatedly targeted an M&S food store in Peterborough. He has been banned for two years from the Bretton Centre.
Edward Wilby, 33, was handed the two-year order prohibiting him from going to the Bretton Centre at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court
The order states Wilby, of no fixed address, must not enter the Bretton Centre, including the BP petrol station and M&S store, as well as the area bordered by Flaxlands, Rightwell East and Bretton Way.
The order was sought due to Wilby’s level of offending – 22 convictions for theft and similar offences recorded against his name, with 14 shoplifting offences committed in the last eight months:
Police also revealed that a man who has a court order in place banning him from being in Peterborough City Centre has been charged with breaching it.
The 28-year-old was arrested in Wentworth Street just days after a CBO was put in place.
He has since been charged with three counts of breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order, specifically:
- By being in Wentworth Street on 13 July
- By being in Long Causeway on 10 July
- By being in Cathedral Square on 6 July
The man is due to appear in court this month
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