A Glastonbury man has been banned from entering the town for three years as part of a Criminal Behaviour Order aimed at preventing further crime and disorder.

Leslie Roper, 47, of Street Road, Glastonbury, was handed the order when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, 26 August to be sentenced for theft.

Roper admitted stealing a number of items from Aldi in Chip Lane, Taunton, in November 2024. He was conditionally discharged for eight months and ordered to pay £50 compensation.

The court also imposed a three-year Criminal Behaviour Order, which places a series of restrictions on him.

Under the order, Roper must not enter Glastonbury unless he is attending a pre-arranged medical appointment. He is also prohibited from possessing or consuming open alcohol in any public place in Somerset.

He must not possess prescription-only medication unless it has been lawfully prescribed, enter or loiter outside premises from which he has been formally banned, or go onto private property without the express permission of the lawful owner or occupier.

The order also restricts his use of public toilets to their genuine intended purpose and prohibits behaviour or threats capable of causing nuisance, annoyance, alarm, harassment or distress to members of the public, emergency workers or people carrying out their jobs.

Breaching a Criminal Behaviour Order, which is made under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, is itself a criminal offence.

Somerset councillor Ewan Cameron, who represents Glastonbury, welcomed the order and said residents had been frustrated by persistent anti-social behaviour in the town centre.

Cllr Cameron said he believed Roper and associates had been a significant factor in anti-social behaviour on Glastonbury High Street, and urged residents to report any suspected breach of the order immediately to police.

He said: "Antisocial behaviour is not welcome in Glastonbury, and I will always strive to remove this behaviour and criminality from our town."

Cllr Cameron said he had worked with police and the local business community over the past five months, alongside residents who had continued to report incidents of anti-social behaviour and shoplifting.

Glastonbury and Somerton MP Sarah Dyke also welcomed the order, describing it as an important step in tackling persistent anti-social behaviour.

She said: "This is a welcome and important step towards tackling the persistent anti-social behaviour that has caused so much frustration and concern in Glastonbury."

Ms Dyke said she had been pressing for police and other agencies to make full use of powers including Criminal Behaviour Orders where individuals repeatedly cause problems.

She added: "I know residents and businesses have sometimes been frustrated by how long action can take, but legal measures such as these demonstrate why reporting incidents and building a strong body of evidence matters."

Ms Dyke thanked local police officers for their work in securing the order and said she would continue working with police, the council and the wider community.

Neighbourhood Inspector Rachel Clark also described the order as a significant outcome for the town.

She said: "This represents a significant and positive outcome for the community of Glastonbury.

"The court was satisfied that Mr Roper's behaviour had caused persistent anti-social behaviour and that the order is necessary to prevent further offending and nuisance.

"The granting of a three-year CBO provides both clear restrictions and robust enforcement to address future breaches and protect the wider community."

Insp Clark thanked residents and businesses for reporting incidents and providing evidence, saying their support had been important in allowing police to present the case to the court.

Anyone who believes the order has been breached, or wants to report anti-social behaviour or crime, can use the Avon and Somerset Police online reporting service.

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