Criminal Behaviour Order Bans Guildford Man From Town Centre Area

Published on: 11 Aug, 2015
Updated on: 12 Jan, 2019

Philip Cornelius

A 29-year-old man has been given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning him from an area of Guildford town centre for two years.

As well as being banned from the underpass between Bridge Street and the Friary Centre at all times, Guildford man Philip Cornelius has also been banned from begging and loitering, including sitting, in the town centre.

The CBO also bans him from causing harassment, alarm and distress anywhere in the Borough of Guildford.

Cornelius was responsible for a series of offences which led to the CBO being issued, including common assault, begging and public order offences.

Guildford safer neighbourhood team inspector Graham Barnett said: “This type of behaviour is something we will not tolerate as it has no place in our society.

“Throughout the last few months we have worked hard with other agencies to put support mechanisms in place. However, it became apparent that the assistance being offered was either being abused or not being taken up.

“We were left with no other option but to use anti-social behaviour and criminal legislation. Bringing this CBO before the court was the result of a huge amount of hard work by our officers and I hope it reassures the community that we take their concerns seriously and will look at all of the options available in order to deal with them.”

Map showing the areas from which Cornelius has been banned (green) or must comply with imposed restrictions (pink).

The conditions of the CBO, issued at West Surrey Magistrate’s Court in Guildford on Friday (August 7), and which expires on August 6 2017, prohibit Cornelius from:

Begging or loitering for the purposes of begging (which includes sitting down on the ground) in Guildford town centre at any time;
Entering the area outlined and shaded in green on the attached map at any time;
Behaving in a manner, or inciting others to behave in a manner, either verbally or physically which would cause harassment, alarm or distress to any person in the Borough of Guildford.

Surrey Police are requesting anyone seeing Philip Cornelius breaching any of the conditions to contact them by calling 101, or report it online at http://www.surrey.police.uk/.