Aggressive beggars operating in Norwich's city centre are to be targeted as part of a new crackdown after the public voted to make it a police priority.

Norwich Evening News: Lizzie Smith . Picture: ANTONY KELLYLizzie Smith . Picture: ANTONY KELLY (Image: Archant Norfolk 2016)

More than 40pc of people who took part in the Norwich East Safer Neighbourhood Team's priority-setting vote, on the Norwich Police Twitter and Facebook accounts, called on police to tackle the problems caused by city centre beggars.

Sergeant Mark Shepherd said: 'People are fed up being pestered by groups of beggars and sometimes hassled by them with them sitting in doors or on the kerb.

'People should not be afraid to come to Norwich, its a great city to come to and no-one should be deterred by people who behave like that.'

As well as causing problems during the day, people going out at night in Norwich over the weekend have also complained to police about being targeted by beggars.

Norwich Evening News: Morgan Jones has been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order. Picture Norfolk policeMorgan Jones has been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order. Picture Norfolk police (Image: Norfolk police)

Sgt Shepherd said that while some might be tempted to hand over money to those on the streets it would probably only be used to feed addictions to drink or drugs. He said people should instead donate money to charities, like St Martin's Housing Trust or Shelter, that support homeless people.

The new priority, which also includes tackling street drinkers, comes after the launch of Operation Wormington at the end of last year which has to date seen more than 100 warnings issued to persistent street beggars in Norwich.

The campaign has resulted in a number of cases coming to court or being dealt with by police, including:

• Lizzie Smith, of no fixed abode, was handed a criminal behaviour order in December last year, banning her from entering the city centre for three years.

Norwich Evening News: Simon Shingfield has been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) forbidding him from having an open container of alcohol in Norwich for two years. Picture Norfolk policeSimon Shingfield has been handed a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) forbidding him from having an open container of alcohol in Norwich for two years. Picture Norfolk police (Image: Norfolk police)

• Last month Morgan Jones, 33, of William Kett Close, Norwich, and Simon Shingfield, 41, of Paragon Place, Norwich were both given orders banning them from having an open container of alcohol in Norwich for two years. It came after they were involved in a number of incidents of anti-social behaviour in the city in the past 12 months.

• In March Andrew Francis, 36, of no fixed address, was given an eight week prison sentence by city magistrates after he admitted breaching a criminal behaviour order, imposed for inhaling butane gas in the city, by setting up for begging in the city centre.

To contact your SNT call 101.