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| Shallane Forsythe |
32-year-old Shallane Forsythe has been given as ASBO banning her from Lancaster’s shops following a campaign of harassment against workers in the city’s stores.
Lancaster Magistrates Court heard a catalogue of complaints against detailing how she has subjected shop staff to persistent abuse and threats while trying to shoplift.
The city centre neighbourhood police team presented evidence to show that Forsythe would intimidate workers by shouting abuse at them in stores, or approaching them while they were with their children out of work.
Forsythe, of Marine Road West, Morecambe, would get male friends to join her in her harassment and also followed young female workers home once they had finished their shifts in a bid to scare them.
The anti-social behaviour order (ASBO), which will run for two years, prevents Forsythe from entering stores in Lancaster, including Sainsbury’s and the Kingsway retail park, between 8.00am – 9.00pm. It also prevents her from behaving, or making others behave, in a way which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person.
Anti Social Behaviour Orders are civil sanctions designed to stop certain types of behaviour. They’re put in place when it’s considered that the offender has caused harm or is likely to cause harm or distress to others.
ASBOs, which last for a minimum of two years, can be placed on children as young as 10 years old. They are not initially criminal offences (though they can become so) and can impose certain restrictions on an offender.
PC Emma Gornall, Lancaster city centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “Forsythe has been a frightening presence when she has entered stores, glaring at staff, shouting abuse at them and even threatening them – all while they have been trying to go about their work.
“Lancaster is a safe place in which to live, work and visit and we want it to stay that way. We are committed to making sure the city is not blighted by the type of behaviour exhibited by Forsythe and will continue to use tactics such as ASBOs to rid our community of such nuisance.”
• More info on ASBOs at www.antisocialbehaviour.org.uk