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This is clearly an individual in need of help not imprisonment. To bring her back before the Court for two alleged begging incidents – not from vulnerable people but from Street Rangers, and with a distinct absence of aggression, for 50p on each occasion – is shameful in itself, but to imprison her for it is frankly alarming, particularly when representation cannot be found.

I appreciate of course that this is a breach of an existing injunction, repeatedly breached previously, but there must be another way of dealing with individuals in this position.

Presumably the writing is now on the wall for anyone who, for whatever reason, and there could be many reasons of course, perhaps even falling foul of the current benefits regime, or becoming homeless, resorts to asking a Street Ranger for the price of a cup of tea (not that you could get a cup of tea for 50p !).

The Judgement confirms the accused to be a fragile and vulnerable individual, without representation – so off to prison then !

Well, I for one am going to do something about this, even though I will remain anonymous for the purposes of this post.