Mansfield man with 80 court appearances slapped with ASBO

Lee Wightman, of no fixed address, is well known to Nottinghamshire Police, council wardens, security and shop staff in the Mansfield town centre and surrounding retail areas due to his persistent offending.

Despite periods of imprisonment Wightman has continued to re-offend, committing acts of theft and being verbally abusive and aggressive.

On one occasion Wightman threatened staff in Boots, St Peter’s Retail Park, causing him to be banned from entering every Boots store in the country.

He has also threatened staff and customers in numerous other shops across the town including Curry’s, Poundland, Poundstretcher, SCS, Aldi and Dunelm Mills, as well as users of Titchfield Park.

On one occasion Wightman threatened to torch a shop building and on another he threw a rock at a car.

Now, following joint action by Mansfield District Council’s ASB and Legal Services teams, and Nottinghamshire Police’s Safer Neighbourhood Team for Mansfield, the 38-year-old must comply with the terms of a three-year ASBO issued at Mansfield Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday 3 June 2014.

The most recent offences include shoplifting in September 2013, for which he was imprisoned for seven days, shoplifting in November 2013 and failure to comply with the requirements of a community order in December 2013.

The conditions of the ASBO, which lasts until 11.59pm on 2 June 2017 state that Wightman should:

• Not enter retail premises in Stockwell Gate and Westgate, Mansfield

• Not enter or remain on Mansfield Leisure Park, Portland Retail Park or St Peter’s Retail Park, Mansfield (except between the hours of 11pm and 5am)

• Not enter The Spar Shop in Mansfield Bus Station

Coun Mick Barton, Portfolio Holder for Public Protection at Mansfield District Council, said: “The Council is pleased that this ASBO has been granted. This individual has carried out a series of antisocial, threatening and intimidating acts in our District which workers and members of the public should not have to put up with.

“The authorities have worked in partnership to obtain this ASBO and send out a clear message that this type of behaviour is unacceptable and will not be tolerated in Mansfield.”

PC Julie Salisbury said: “Wightman has regularly been involved in abusive criminal behaviour both in Mansfield Town Centre and other local areas and he has been arrested on a number of occasions.#

“It is clear he holds little regard for the law and does not seem able to control his behaviour in a civilised way. We hope that an ASBO will send out a clear message that the authorities will no longer stand by and allow him behave in such a manner.”

If Wightman breaches the order he will face a fine or prison sentence of up to five years.