Crawley woman jailed for breaching notice hours after it was served

A Crawley woman has been jailed after breaching a community protection notice within five hours of it being served on her.
Louise Duffell, 29, of Caburn Court, CrawleyLouise Duffell, 29, of Caburn Court, Crawley
Louise Duffell, 29, of Caburn Court, Crawley

On Tuesday (April 28), Louise Duffell, 29, of Caburn Court, Crawley, was convicted of breaching her community protection notice (CPN) in the town centre.

Her behaviour is said to have been causing persistent distress to shoppers, residents and businesses in Crawley town centre, according to police.

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PC Paul Nye said: "We issued the CPN to try to curb Duffell's increasingly frequent and unpleasant anti-social behaviour and alcohol use in the town centre, which was upsetting the local community.

"However it then became to necessary to take her to court and this has at last given people some relief from her conduct, and has also given her a chance to reflect and seek some assistance."

The community protection notice was issued to her by the police on Monday morning (April 27), to last for 12 months.

It prohibited Duffell from behaving in a manner likely to cause harassment and distress to any other person, not to sit, lay or loiter or to be found drunk, in the town centre.

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But less than five hours later she was threatening to spit on a member of the public, and was located in the Memorial Gardens, drunk and hiding in a bush.

When she was arrested for breaching her Notice and common assault on a passer-by who objected, she began shouting and swearing with several people including children within earshot resulting in her being warned by officers.

She continued shouting and was also arrested for threatening behaviour.

Duffell appeared at Crawley Magistrates Court the next morning and after pleading guilty to all three offences was given a 40-week custodial sentence.