Banned from every pub in the land
A DRUNKEN menace has been banned from buying booze anywhere in Britain after being declared an "habitual drunkard" in a rare legal move by magistrates.
Alcoholic Angela Wrightson is the first person in the last decade to be legally labelled a "drunkard". Magistrates used laws dating back more than a century in a bid to curb her behaviour.
The 34-year-old was given a two-year anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) in May, but refused to mend her ways. On one occasion she offended hours after appearing in court.
Her antics often saw her sprawled in the street having downed anything up to 15 pints of cider a day.
Wrightson, 34, of Stephen Street, Hartlepool, could now be arrested whenever she is seen with drink and licensees face a fine of 500 if they serve her.
The Safer Hartlepool Anti-Social Behaviour Unit used powers under the 1902 Licensing Act because of Wrightson's bizarre behaviour over the past 12 months.
Wrightson will be fined 200 if she is caught trying to buy booze, while licensed premises will be fined 500 if they serve her or anyone on her behalf.
The unit plans to send letters and posters about both Wrightson to all licensed premises in Hartlepool.
Senior Asbo officer Nicholas Stone said: "Angela Wrightson has consistently refused to engage with the support she has been offered by agencies regarding her alcohol problems and has refused to stop her drunk and disorderly behaviour. This declaration by the court will not only put the emphasis on her behaviour but also make it the responsibility of licensees not to sell her alcohol."
Jobless Wrightson has regularly featured in the Mail for drunkenness but there has been a sinister side to some of her alcohol-fuelled offending.
She was once given a 46-day prison sentence at Hartlepool Magistrates' Court after she admitted threatening to cause criminal damage and intimidating a witness.
She dropped a Christmas card through her next door neighbour's letterbox that read: "Burn house down, Merry Christmas, from neighbour."
On another occasion she was found lying drunk in the middle of a busy road for the second time in just over a week and narrowly missed being hit by a car as she lay at the junction of Duke Street and Stephen Street.
The Mail has also reported how she racially abused a policeman after being arrested for lying drunk in the middle of Duke Street and was once given a six-month conditional discharge for being drunk and disorderly at the University Hospital of Hartlepool.
Wrightson has 47 convictions for 77 offences on her record, 16 of which are for public order offences. Acting Chief Inspector Mick Brown, of Hartlepool Police, told the Mail: "Hopefully the action taken will have an impact on not only the people who have been affected by her behaviour, but also on Miss Wrightson's future conduct."
Last month, the Mail revealed how boozing claims the lives of 78 people every year with seven people a day being admitted to hospital because of drink while one in four people admitted to binge drinking.
Hartlepool has one of the highest female death rates in the country and ranks third worst out of 354 areas across the country.
Email to a friend
Print this page- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Tuesday, May 22: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Tottenham, Arsenal, Manchester City, Chelsea, Barcelona, Wigan, QPR, West Ham and Blackpool
- TRANSFER RUMOURS: Monday, May 21 - Drogba, Man City, Spurs, Crunch talks for Torres, Hammers eye Cole, Hazard undecided
- TRANSFER RUMOURS - Thursday, May 24: Newcastle, Demba Ba, Arsenal, Chelsea, Man City deny Tevez rumours, Man Utd, Porto
- VIDEO: 999 call police car ploughs into house
- Transfer Rumours May 23: Newcastle United, Sunderland, Arsenal, Manchester United, Everton, Blackburn, Tottenham and Wolves.
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Peterlee
Thursday 24 May 2012
Today
Sunny spells
Temperature: 10 C to 15 C
Wind Speed: 9 mph
Wind direction: North
Tomorrow
Sunny
Temperature: 10 C to 18 C
Wind Speed: 22 mph
Wind direction: East
