Man convicted of urinating in a public place under Shrewsbury Public Spaces Protection Order

A man has been ordered to pay £654 for urinating in a public place in Shrewsbury town centre.

Telford Magistrates Court heard that at around 6pm on 2 March 2023, Andrew Healey was seen by a Police Community Support Officer – who was responding to reports of anti-social behaviour – urinating against a wall of St Mary’s Church.

St Mary’s Church is within the restricted area covered by the Shrewsbury Town Centre Public Spaces Protection Order, which gives Shropshire Council and the police powers to tackle this type of anti-social behaviour.

The court was told there is a public toilet at Butcher Row, two minutes’ walk from where the offence took place and, as a result of breaching the Order, Mr Healey had been issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice by Shropshire Council’s trading standards team. However, this was not paid by Mr Healey, resulting in the council bringing the legal action.

Mr Healey, who was living in Shrewsbury at the time of the offence, was not in court and was convicted in his absence.  The court fined him £60 for the offence, together with £594 costs and victim surcharge.

Chris Schofield, Shropshire Council’s Cabinet member for planning and regulatory services, said:

“The Public Spaces Protection Order gives extra powers within Shrewsbury town centre to help tackle anti-social behaviour in many different forms. This is another instance of these powers being put to use and I hope it will serve as warning to others.”