Four men handed criminal behaviour orders in crackdown on spice users in Chester

A policing operation targeting people using psychoactive substances in Chester has seen four men receive criminal behaviour orders (CBOs).

Steven Leasor, Wayne Galland, Hamish Nimmo and Jamie Crawford, all of no fixed address, have been handed CBOs by Chester Magistrates’ Court after taking Spice in the city centre and suffering from the effects of the drug in a public place.

While under the influence of the psychoactive substance, Leasor exposed himself and urinated in full view of members of the public and Nimmo assaulted police officers.

Leasor was handed a five-year CBO on Tuesday 13 November, under its terms, the 32-year-old must not pester anyone for money in Cheshire and cause them distress, annoyance or nuisance.

He has also been banned from entering any car park in the county other than for the purpose it is designated to be used for.

The CBO also stipulates that Leasor cannot go into Chester city centre unless he is visiting Jobcentre Plus on City Road or St Werburgh’s Medical Practice For The Homeless on George Street, and has an appointment to do so or Chester Railway Station on City Road unless he has a valid ticket to use the station to travel by train.

Wayne Galland, 51, was handed a three-year CBO on Monday 29 October, the order prevents him from associating with a named 30-year-old man in England and Wales.

He is also not allowed to enter Chester city centre unless he is attending Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) officers via Francis Street and Crewe Street with either a written appointment or the consent of a police officer.

Hamish Nimmo, 30, is also banned from going into Chester city centre, as part of a five-year CBO he received on Wednesday 17 October, under its terms he is prohibited from using foul, abusive, insulting, offensive, threatening or intimidating language or behaviour in any public place in Cheshire.

Jamie Crawford, who is also known as Jamie Fisher, was given a three-year CBO on Monday 6 August which stipulates that the 25-year-old cannot enter Chester city centre or be found in an intoxicated state or under the influence of, or in the possession of, any psychoactive substance in any public place in Cheshire.

Sergeant Alex Jackson, of Chester Local Policing Unit, said:

“Operation Mulled saw officers target those using and dealing Spice and other psychoactive substances in Chester.

“As part of the operation Steven Leasor, Wayne Galland, Hamish Nimmo and Jamie Crawford were identified as using Spice in the city centre and displaying anti-social behaviour while under the influence of the drug.

“These men have repeatedly been offered help by various agencies and voluntary sector organisations but chose to turn down this help and to continue to blight our communities with anti-social behaviour.

“Our communities should not be subjected to such behaviour and the CBOs that have been imposed by Chester Magistrates’ Court are a boost to our mission to make the city a nicer place to live and work.”

Operation Mulled was conducted by Cheshire Police officers with support from the Chester Anti-Social Behaviour Unit, a partnership between Chester Local Policing Unit and Cheshire West and Chester Council.

The operation was launched to address the concerns of the community and prevent anti-social behaviour being committed in the city centre.

Cheshire West and Chester Community Safety Officer Sam Chapman said:

“CBOs are only ever applied for and issued as a last resort.

“The process of interventions follows a pathway of street warnings, advisory letters, acceptable behaviour discussions and contracts and community protection notice warning letters prior to any applications to the courts.

“CBOs are preventative orders which are designed to stop individuals committing further anti-social behaviour and offences.

“The four men who have been given CBOs as part of Operation Mulled have persistently shown no consideration at all for the effect their behaviour has on the people of Chester.

“As such we were left with no option but to apply for these orders to protect the people of Chester, who have a right to feel safe.”

Anyone who sees Leasor, Galland, Nimmo and Crawford breach the conditions of their CBOs is urged to contact Cheshire Police on 101