A HEREFORD man has been banned from entering toilets in a number of city centre locations due to his use of illegal drugs.

Hereford Magistrates Court imposed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) on Duncan Goodfield, 28, of Whitecross Road, last week.

At the hearing, Goodfield admitted theft from a store and was fined £50 and ordered to pay costs totalling £180.

But police applied for a CBO based on the charge and the history of his criminal behaviour which mainly concerned drug-related offences in public toilets, shop customer toilets and toilets at places of worship as well as theft from shops and thefts of pedal cycles.

The CBO, in place until midnight on May 10 2018, bans Goodfield from entering any building or outbuilding which forms part of Hereford Cathedral including the public toilets.

He is also banned from entering the toilets, washrooms or baby changing rooms of Hereford city centre’s Marks & Spencer store, Morrisons, Tesco store, McDonalds, Maylord Orchards and The Old Market complex – the square complex between Widemarsh Street, Edgar Street and Blackfriars Street.

The third part of the CBO prohibits Goodfield from causing anyone harassment, alarm or distress through any drug related activity in a public place or place to which the public have access through payment or otherwise.

Any breach of the order is a criminal offence for which Goodfield can be sent to prison for.

The details of it have been shared with the retail businesses and churches in the city through Facewatch – the online information sharing system successfully used across the county.

Jim Mooney, harm reduction coordinator for Herefordshire Police, said: "This order has only come about through the proactive work of the city centre local policing team who have taken all necessary steps to deal with the concerns of the local communities.

"The intention is always to give an individual help and to change their behaviour wherever possible, the use of this type of order is the end result of their failure to change."

Drug and alcohol services are available through Addaction to those who need help and want to tackle their addictions.