One of Huddersfield’s most prolific offenders has appeared in court yet again.
Clinford Joseph – who has 275 offences to his name – was before Kirklees magistrates yesterday.
He admitted breaching the terms of his Asbo by being in possession of alcohol in public.
And the 31-year-old’s solicitor warned that he would continue to breach the order, which he described as setting him up to fail.
Vanessa Schofield, prosecuting, said that the incident happened on July 16.
At just before 10pm police on patrol at Byram Court in the town centre spotted Joseph.
He had in his hand a can of lager.
Ms Schofield: “He was told that he was in breach of his order.
“Mr Joseph said: ‘It’s only a beer’ and he was arrested by police.”
The anti-social behaviour order bans Joseph from having an open container of alcohol anywhere in the town.
It was made by magistrates less than two weeks earlier on July 5 following an application by Kirklees Council.
The application for the order was made in Joseph’s absence after he was banned from the court building for being drunk.
The Asbo also banned Joseph, of Lonsbrough Flats in Southgate, from entering any retail premises he was barred from by a previous order.
Finally, he is barred from entering The Cherry Tree pub at John William Street and The Commercial pub at New Street.
Joseph’s recent offending includes drunkenly urinating in Kirkgate on March 19, for which he was given a fine.
In February he was jailed for eight weeks after assaulting the manager of The Cherry Tree pub when he asked him to leave.
Neil Murphy, mitigating, described his client as a chronic alcoholic who cannot be effectively managed by the criminal justice system.
He said: “This heinous crime for which he was arrested and kept in the cells was having a can of lager in public.
“There was no suggestion that he was abusive or shouting – he was going to drink his beer and then totter off home to his flat.
“Because of his lifestyle he cannot abide by the law and this order has set him up to fail.
“I suspect this is going to be one of many future court appearances.”
Mr Murphy said that Joseph had spent some time in rehab, but had soon spiralled back into drinking and petty crime.
He said that he was now getting help from groups including the Colne Valley Project, which is helping him with his accommodation.
Magistrates told Joseph that the time he spent in police custody following his arrest would be sufficient punishment for the offence.
