The Clitheroe dvertiser and Thursday, January 4th, 2007 No. 6,284 news and views from the Centre of the KingdQma= 4 =


Silly hats " walk


crackdow By Faiza Af zaal


A MAJOR crackdown on graffiti vandals is


under way. Clitheroe Police and


council officials are getting tough on vandals caught


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daubing graffiti on walls and buildings around the town by issuing on-the- spot fines of up to £80. The town is being


plagued by so-called graf­ fiti “tags” - the signatures of the offenders responsi­ ble - and officers will be stepping up patrols in a bid to clamp down on the tidal wave of graffiti inci­ dents sweeping through Clitheroe, resulting in the town looking “messy, unsightly and ugly”. The attacks have also


prompted police to renew their plea to vigilant mem­ bers of the public to report those responsible and help keep their neighbourhood clean and tidy. Police Community Sup­


port Officer (PCSO) David Reid, said officers are studying spray-paint­ ed artwork and they believe the same gang is behind the rising levels of graffiti attacks. Some of the areas tar­ geted include the Castle


grounds, Henthom Road, Pimlico Road, Kemple View, Edisford Road, Richmond Terrace and the Woone Lane area of Clitheroe. PCSO Reid hopes the crackdown will send out a strong message to the taggers that their ugly scrawls will not be tolerated. He said: “It’s messy and


unsightly. The problem is increasing and we keep noticing the words “Mince”, “Ahk” and a lit­ tle soldier character appearing at various sites around the town. “Graffiti spoils the look


of any area and the van­ dals have been using spray paints, chalk and special pens on property to blight the town. “We want this to stop


immediately and are warning that anyone aged under 15 caught spraying graffiti will be hit by a fine of £40 and anyone over 15 will be fined £80. We also need people to call the police with any informa­ tion they have regarding the taggers.” PCSO Reid added that


the youths were putting lives at risk by scaling buildings and spraying the tags on roofs and railway lines. “This is a serious


matter. The offenders are not realising that they are putting themselves in real danger by trespassing on private property,” he added. Meanwhile, up to £250


of council taxpayers’ money is spent on cleaning up graffiti in the Ribble Valley each month. Ribble Valley Borough


Council is responsible for clearing it from all public buildings, signs, public toi­ lets, statues and monu­ ments and council-owned street furniture, such as


benches and lamp posts. However, removing graffiti from privately-owned buildings is not its respon­ sibility. Homeowners are having to fork out hun­ dreds of pounds a year to remove or paint out graffi­ ti wherever possible from their own property. Mr John Barber quality


of life officer for the bor­ ough council said: “It isn’t doing the town any favours. It’s not a pleasant thing for people to see. “I t ’s a mess and costs the council £20 for each


word they clear up. We do not want it and are work­ ing closely with the police and other local organisa­ tions to get rid of the graf­ fiti menace.” If you have been a vic­


tim of graffiti or have information about the tag­ gers, please call police on 01200 443344, or the free- and-con fi den ti al Crimestoppers line on 0800 555111. Our picture shows p e so Reid inspecting the


graffiti “tags”. (CR291206)


By Faiza Afzaal


A MUM-OF-FOUR who illegally claimed £40,000 worth of bene­ fits in a five-year-long fraud has been spared jail, but warned she will go to prison if she re­ offends. Tania Collette Ward


(37), of Central Avenue, Clitheroe, pleaded guilty to five counts of false accounting and two of failing to notify a change in circumstance. Burnley Crown Court heard how between June 1999 and December 2004, Ward unlawfully claimed Income Support. In addition, between June 2002 and 2003, despite receiving housing benefit and council tax benefit from Ribble Val­ ley Borough Council, she failed to notify a change in circumstance. The offences were


uncovered following a two-month-long investi­ gation by the Depart­ ment of Work and Pen­ sions in 2004. Mr Desmond Lennon


(prosecuting) told the court how the defendant


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' " PAGE 20 :


Mother avoids jail despite £40k fraud


claimed £40,000 worth of benefits and failed to dis­ close that her partner, Mr Mark Stevenson, the children’s father, who worked as a scaffolder, was living with her. He added: “She


claimed benefit on the basis that she was unem­ ployed, single and with­ out any means of sup­ port. However, she was not single. She was, in fact, living with her part­ ner at Central Avenue while he was in paid employment. She failed to declare this informa­ tion.” Mr Robert Elias


(defending) told the court: “She is something of a broken woman and was trying to make ends meet. As a single parent she was entitled to vari­ ous benefits, which helped keep her body and soul together. Over the years, the falsely claiming grew into a con­ siderable sum of money. He added: “She is a


mother who was doing her best for her family and made an unwise decision to claim.


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