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| Benjamin Lunn |
26-year-old Benjamin Lunn has been given an ASBO banning him from Lancaster’s shops following a
campaign of harassment against workers in the city’s stores.
Lunn, who lives in Briery Street, was given the anti-social behaviour order after magistrates heard how he had subjected shop staff to persistent abuse and threats while he was trying to shoplift.
The city centre neighbourhood police team presented evidence to show that Lunn would intimidate workers by glaring at shop assistants and also making verbal threats or approaching them while they were with their children out of work.
Lunn and his girlfriend Shallane Forsythe – who was given a similar ASBO in October (see news story) – also followed young female workers home once they had finished their shifts in a bid to scare them.
The anti-social behaviour order, which will run for two years, prevents Lunn from entering stores in Lancaster, including Sainsbury’s and the Kingsway retail park, at any time. It also prevents him from behaving, or making others behave, in a way which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to another person.
PC Emma Gornall, Lancaster city centre neighbourhood policing team, said: “Lunn and Forsythe have been an intimidating presence when they have gone into the city’s stores, glaring at staff, shouting abuse at them and even threatening them.
“The shop staff have just been trying to go about their work, and they should be able to do so while feeling safe in their work place.
“We are committed to making sure the city is not blighted by the type of behaviour exhibited by this pair and will continue to use tactics such as ASBOs to rid our community of such nuisance.”