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| Torquay photo-shaming 'brings drop in beggars' | Torquay photo-shaming 'brings drop in beggars' |
| (35 minutes later) | |
| A businessman who photographed so-called professional beggars in a seaside resort has apparently prompted a drop in anti-social behaviour. | A businessman who photographed so-called professional beggars in a seaside resort has apparently prompted a drop in anti-social behaviour. |
| Ashley Sims said he wanted to "out" those people in Torquay, by threatening to post the pictures on social media. | |
| It has led to a drop in "professional" beggars who harass the genuinely homeless, a charity says. | |
| But police and Torbay Council are strongly opposed to the scheme, which they say "encourages vigilantism". | But police and Torbay Council are strongly opposed to the scheme, which they say "encourages vigilantism". |
| More stories from Devon | More stories from Devon |
| Mr Sims said: "There's one thing they don't like is being photographed or filmed, so I've just gone and photographed and filmed them. | Mr Sims said: "There's one thing they don't like is being photographed or filmed, so I've just gone and photographed and filmed them. |
| "I've identified who's genuine through the relevant charities and I've actually found out who the homeless are and whether they're homeless or not. | "I've identified who's genuine through the relevant charities and I've actually found out who the homeless are and whether they're homeless or not. |
| "Then we've cross-referenced them. Five of them have told us that they're not going to go begging anymore if I don't put their photos up." | "Then we've cross-referenced them. Five of them have told us that they're not going to go begging anymore if I don't put their photos up." |
| Mr Sims is urging people to give directly to homeless charities instead of handing cash to people on the street. | Mr Sims is urging people to give directly to homeless charities instead of handing cash to people on the street. |
| Ellie Waugh, from homeless charity Humanity Torbay, said: "We don't believe in naming and shaming but the genuine homeless can go down the end of the town now without fear of reprisals." | Ellie Waugh, from homeless charity Humanity Torbay, said: "We don't believe in naming and shaming but the genuine homeless can go down the end of the town now without fear of reprisals." |
| How many homeless are there in Torquay? | How many homeless are there in Torquay? |
| She said there had been at least 18 professional beggars in the town who had beaten up and stolen from those who are genuinely homeless. | She said there had been at least 18 professional beggars in the town who had beaten up and stolen from those who are genuinely homeless. |
| "There is a lot of support for what he has done," she said. | "There is a lot of support for what he has done," she said. |
| Hairdresser Zak Stone, said: "I think it's a brilliant idea. | Hairdresser Zak Stone, said: "I think it's a brilliant idea. |
| "We've seen a dramatic drop in anti-social behaviour in this area." | "We've seen a dramatic drop in anti-social behaviour in this area." |
| Shopkeeper Zoe Scriven said: "We see aggressive begging all the time. They position themselves at the cash machine intimidating people, especially the elderly who are frightened into giving them money." | Shopkeeper Zoe Scriven said: "We see aggressive begging all the time. They position themselves at the cash machine intimidating people, especially the elderly who are frightened into giving them money." |
| "It's putting people off coming into town because it's not a nice place to be at the moment." | "It's putting people off coming into town because it's not a nice place to be at the moment." |
| One man, who wanted to be identified only as Phil and said he was genuinely homeless, said the scheme amounted to "bullying". | One man, who wanted to be identified only as Phil and said he was genuinely homeless, said the scheme amounted to "bullying". |
| "I don't like doing it but at the moment it is lesser of all evils," he said. | "I don't like doing it but at the moment it is lesser of all evils," he said. |
| The police and the council said outing people as fraudsters based on "often unverifiable information fails to acknowledge the very complex and chaotic lives of those concerned many of whom are extremely vulnerable". | The police and the council said outing people as fraudsters based on "often unverifiable information fails to acknowledge the very complex and chaotic lives of those concerned many of whom are extremely vulnerable". |