A beggar has been hauled before the court after police claimed he was fraudulently claiming to be homeless.
Kieran Jackson, of no fixed abode, was arrested outside Costa Coffee in Bolton’s Trinity Retail Park yesterday after he was seen holding up a sign saying “Hungry and homeless, please help - happy Ramadan”. Greater Manchester Police officers called to the scene saw on their system that he had a known address, so arrested him for fraud by misrepresentation as his sign said he was homeless, Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court heard.
Prosecutor Ann Deakin told the court how residents had reported the 38-year-old after seeing him begging outside the Costa on April 12. Ms Deakin explained the charge had been changed to begging after the mistake by police.
