Fenland District Council has thanked the community for its support in tackling anti-social behaviour, after securing a prison sentence against a Wisbech man who repeatedly harassed and caused distress to others. That is once police find him.
The council had previously secured an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction against Michael Bloy as a result of multiple complaints about his aggressive behaviour.
The injunction, imposed in September 2023, banned him from begging, urinating, rough sleeping, and being aggressive in public spaces and engaging in violent or threatening behaviour anywhere in Fenland.
It also banned him from loitering or begging at any cash point, service station or supermarket/convenience store across the district.
In March 2024, Bloy was found guilty of breaching the injunction and sentenced to a six-week prison sentence, suspended for the duration of the injunction, which was extended until March 2026.
Despite the sentence and a further chance to comply, Bloy continued to breach the injunction, with reports of him begging outside shops and a church, urinating against a house, and rough sleeping on shop steps and in communal areas of a block of flats.
On Monday 13 January, Bloy was found guilty in his absence at Peterborough County Court and the suspended prison sentence was activated following evidence of the further breaches committed between April and September 2024.
Bloy was sentenced to 42 days in custody and a warrant was issued for his immediate arrest. The prison term will begin upon date of his arrest.
“No one by that name has been arrested by us recently, so not arrested in Cambridgeshire, but couldn’t be sure if located anywhere else in the country,” a Cambridgeshire police spokesperson confirmed this afternoon.
Councillor Susan Wallwork, the Council’s Portfolio Holder for Community Safety, said: “This case sends a clear message that anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated in our district. The community has a right to feel safe and supported, and we will continue to take strong action against those whose actions cause harm to others.
An injunction, imposed in September 2023, banned Michael Bloy from begging, urinating, rough sleeping, and being aggressive in public spaces and engaging in violent or threatening behaviour anywhere in Fenland.“The collaborative efforts of the Council’s Community Safety team and our partner organisations ensured that decisive action was taken to address this individual’s behaviour.
“I also want to thank members of the public who played a vital role in reporting breaches of the injunction and providing evidence. Their vigilance and willingness to come forward were crucial in securing this result.”
The court heard Bloy had been given numerous chances to engage with offers of help and support before the injunction action was taken. He had also been given a further chance to comply with the conditions of the injunction when he received the suspended prison sentence but chose not to.
- Any sightings of Bloy should be reported to police on 101 or 999 in an emergency.
- If you are affected by anti-social behaviour in your community, please do not hesitate to report it to the Council on 01354 654321 or police on 101. Alternatively, you can report online via the following links:
