A PERSISTENT trouble-maker who masturbated in public and stole from a charity shop has been banned from a swathe of Durham city centre.

A three-year Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) banning Paul Lee, 43, from several of the city's streets was imposed on Monday by magistrates sitting at Newton Aycliffe.

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The order comes after Lee, of no fixed address, was convicted in August 2021 of theft, breaching a CBO, outraging public decency and criminal damage.

The offences, which took place in June last year, included him stealing a jacket, a bag, some sunglasses and a keyring from a SCOPE charity shop in Durham.

He was also convicted of outraging public decency by masturbating whilst in public view in Durham City on June 6 and of damaging a police cell on June 11.

Lee was already under a CBO banning him from being drunk in a public place and was convicted of breaching that order after being caught intoxicated in Durham on June 5, 2021.

The 43-year-old was convicted of the offences on August 20, 2021.

The Northern Echo:

Paul Lee stole from the SCOPE charity shop in Durham Picture: Google

The CBO imposed on him this week means he is now banned from North Road, Silver Street, Market Place, Saddler Street, Claypath and Elvet Bridge in Durham city centre.

He is also banned from the raceourse and Freemans Quay and must not enter the River Wear in the Durham City area.

In addition, he must not be in possession of any open container of alcohol or gas in any public place, must not remain at any shop, commercial or public authority premises when asked to leave by staff and must not be intoxicated in a public place either through alcohol or substance misuse.

The order will run for the next three years.

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