Sittingbourne carnival queen Rachael Booker-Pook gets slapped with an Asbo
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by Hayley
Robinson
hrobinson@thekmgroup.co.uk
A carnival princess who was slapped with an Asbo
for being badly behaved has vowed to turn her life
around.
Rowdy Rachael Booker-Pook is banned from entering The Forum
shopping centre in Sittingbourne High Street under the terms of the
order.
And she must not be in a group greater than three people under
the age of 21 which causes or is likely to cause harassment, alarm
or distress in and around the town centre.
Kent Police released details of the two-year Asbo with DC Alan
Beesley, of Sittingbourne police station, welcoming the order.
He said: "Over the last few months reports of anti-social
behaviour in The Forum have increased and we were being contacted
on a regular basis by local business owners and security staff who
were fed up with the behaviour of a small group of young
people."
But the 18-year-old says her troubled times are in the past now
and Sittingbourne Carnival Association has vowed to stand by her
after she was selected as one of two princesses on March 20.
West Street resident Rachael said: "I'm very grateful to the
carnival association for standing by me and supporting me and I
understand that if there is any trouble I won't get to keep the
title.
"When I got the Asbo I was in with a bad crowd and I was going
through some difficult times in my personal life.
"I'm trying to turn my life around. I'm starting an Open
University course in June to study psychology and I hope to study
public services at Mid Kent College in September.
"I'd like to become a criminal psychologist. I don't want to
judge people, I want to understand them.
"I'm also looking for work. I'm trying my hardest. I want to
move on from it all, have a fresh start, wipe the slate clean.
"I'm spending time with my family. I've changed so much, not
only in my behaviour but the way I look, I'm taking a different
approach to life.
"I'm trying to rebuild what I've lost and build on what I've
got."
Sittingbourne Carnival Association chairman Pam Griggs said: "I
found out about Rachael's Asbo after the selection process and
invited her and her father to my house where we had a long
discussion about it.
"She told me she wants to turn her life around and we're giving
her a second chance.
"She's trying to put her all in to this, but she is aware that
if there is any sign of trouble she is out. We've got to think of
SCA's reputation.
"She can't enter The Forum but she has asked if she needs to
(enter the centre for carnival duties) if she can do so wearing her
sash and if she is accompanied by an escort from the association
such as myself."
Rachael added: "People ask me how I ended up as a princess but
it's judged on personality so I obviously had something that they
liked.
"I really don't want to lose the title and I want to use this as
a platform to turn my life around.
"I want to make it work and prove to everyone that I can make
something of my life and achieve something."
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Thursday, April 08 2010
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