A 52-year-old squatter has been jailed for 19 months after he was found breaking into a Ramsgate home.
George Moses, of no fixed address, was given the custodial sentence when he appeared at Canterbury Crown Court on Wednesday, July 31 after admitting breaching a criminal behaviour order.
One of the conditions of the five-year criminal behaviour order, which was originally issued in 2016, banned Moses from entering unoccupied premises unless he had written permission from the building owner. It was given following Moses’ conviction for squatting in unoccupied houses, causing damage to the properties and nuisance behaviour towards the neighbouring residents.
During the evening of Friday, June 7, Kent Police was called after Moses was seen going through the front door of a property in Grange Road, Ramsgate.
When officers arrived, Moses was seen sitting with tools on the stairs of the empty house and initially refused to come out. When officers convinced him to come outside, Moses was arrested on suspicion of breaching his criminal behaviour order.
At court Moses was also convicted of a further charge of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place, after he was seen holding a crowbar as he walked down St Augustine’s Road in Ramsgate on Friday, May 31.
Investigating officer PC Rob Hitchcock said: “The breach of this order shows a blatant disregard not just for the law, but also for other people’s property.
“This order was in place because Moses has shown before that he can cause a lot of damage to the buildings he inhabits. Fortunately we found and arrested him before any damage could be caused this time.
“Receiving a prison sentence for breaching an order will hopefully serve as a valuable lesson to Moses, and others like him, that we will take action against those who cause a nuisance in the community.”
