Man begging at busy Yorkshire junction said Vagrancy Act 'had been revoked'

The issue of begging at road junctions was raised at a meeting of Bradford East Area Committee this week, when members were discussing crime in the Constituency.

The Vagrancy Act dates back to 1824, and is the legislation the criminalises begging in public.

At the meeting on Wednesday Councillor Noor Elahi (Lab, Little Horton), said: “On Leeds Road we have a major issue with young men begging and harassing people by walking onto the road.

“They’re causing a big risk to themselves. This week when I spoke to one they said the Vagrancy Act had been revoked, that it had been scrapped.”

Inspector Paul Riley of Bradford East Neighbourhood Policing team said the beggar was likely trying it on, adding: “It does still exist, and police will take action. Begging is an offence.”

Coun Alahi “I’ve seen police drive through traffic lights where people are begging and nothing is done.”

Insp Riley said he could not speculate on why this had happened, but added: “If officers are going to another job they might not be able to stop to deal with someone begging.”

In recent years there had been calls to scrap the act, and the Police, Crime, Sentencing and Courts Act 2022 was recently enacted and given Royal Assent. It contains a provision that would repeal the act, but this provision must be brought into force by the Secretary of State.

Government has said it would be unlikely to repeal the act until replacement legislation was in place.