Tyrone man convicted of begging and urinating in public in Derry's city centre

A 37-year-old man has been convicted of begging in Derry's city centre.

Anthony Catterson appeared before Derry Magistrates Court today charged with begging and indecent behaviour.

The court was told that the indecent behaviour offence related to an incident around 6pm on November 2, 2018 when Catterson was captured on CCTV urinating in public outside the Poundland store at Waterloo Place.

When police officers arrived on the scene, they found Catterson, whose address in court documents was given as Castlefin Road, Castlederg, to be intoxicated and he was cautioned for indecent behaviour.

In relation to the begging offence, this took place on June 25, 2019 close to the ATM machine of the Bank of Ireland branch at Strand Road in the city centre.

A police officer told the court that this would be known as a 'hotspot' for begging offences.

The officers said that on the day in question, police officers were on patrol in the area around 5pm when they observed the defendant sitting beside the ATM.

When a member of the public walked past him, Catterson was seen to make a gesture with his hands as if begging for money.

The officers said they also heard him ask the person for money.

A defence solicitor said that at the time Catterson had become 'estranged' from his family in Castlederg and was living rough in Derry.

The solicitor said he was now been reconciled with his family.

The judge said the offences were not to be 'condoned' before placing a conditional discharge on Catterson for one year for both offences.