A beggar has become the first in Tunbridge Wells to be issued with a criminal behaviour order.

John Abbotts was convicted at Sevenoaks on Thursday, July 23 for a variety of offences relating to being drunk and disorderly.

The 51-year-old, of no fixed address, had previously been handed a 120-day custodial sentence on Friday, July 17.

Upon his release from prison he will be prohibited from being in possession of an open container of alcohol in any public place within the alcohol control zone, or within a one mile radius of Tonbridge Railway Station.

He will also be unable to be drunk or consume alcohol in any public place within the same zones.

A breach of the order, which in Abbotts’ case lasts for two years, can result in a prison term of up to five years.

The criminal behaviour order was introduced by the Government in October last year as part of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, with the intention of providing simpler, more effective powers to tackle antisocial behaviour.

The 'persistent beggar' has racked up a number of convictions dating back to April 15, when he assaulted a nurse at Maidstone Hospital who was treating him for a head injury.

On May 7 he was caught urinating at a bus stop in Tonbridge High Street and disrupting members of the public by rolling around in the road, before he was found asleep in a car park and acting uncooperative with officers.

Abbotts' offences also include being drunk and disorderly in Monson Road, part of the alcohol control zone, in Tunbridge Wells, where he kissed and licked a man on the face, without his consent.

PC Emma Cole of the Tunbridge Wells community safety unit said: "John Abbotts has become a familiar face in Tunbridge Wells town centre for all the wrong reasons.

"Abbotts is also a persistent beggar whose tactic is to invade people’s personal space and be overly affectionate in order to intimidate them into handing over money, which he uses to buy more alcohol.

"I am pleased the court has seen fit to issue Abbotts with a criminal behaviour order and hope he uses the restrictions placed upon him effectively and as a way of addressing his issues with alcohol to turn his life around."

The criminal behaviour order was introduced by the Government in October last year as part of the Antisocial Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, with the intention of providing simpler, more effective powers to tackle antisocial behaviour.