Jail for man who breached order banning him from Peterborough city centre over concerns of exploitation of homeless people

A man who breached a court order banning him from Peterborough city centre following concerns around him exploiting homeless people has been jailed.

Fred Lamb, 42, was made subject of an interim slavery and trafficking risk order (STRO) banning him from Peterborough city centre, alongside his two brothers, Lucas Lamb, 36, and Joseph Lamb, 35, in October last year.

The applications were made to magistrates by the Peterborough City Centre Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) after police received information about the brothers subjecting homeless people to violence and exploitation over a prolonged period.

The interim order bans Fred and Lucas, both of Trelowen Way, Hempsted, Peterborough, and Joseph, of North Road, Whittlesford, Cambridge, from Peterborough city centre apart from pre-arranged medical appointments, until a final hearing, which is due to be held at Peterborough Magistrates’ Court on 4 March.

Failure to comply with a STRO is a criminal offence which could result in imprisonment for up to five years.

On three separate occasions in December, and again on 28 January, Fred was caught on CCTV in the city centre, directly breaching the court order.

He appeared at Huntingdon Magistrates’ Court on Friday (7 February) where he was sentenced to four weeks in prison, after admitting four breaches of a STRO.

Sergeant Steve Rose, from Peterborough’s City Centre NPT, said: “Slavery and trafficking risk orders restrict the activities of an un-convicted person where there is a risk that they will commit a slavery or trafficking offence, to protect potential victims from physical or psychological harm.

“The brothers’ behaviour towards homeless people in Peterborough has been concerning, with reports of violence, demands for money and threats. They pose a very real and serious threat to the safety of vulnerable members of our society, which is why these orders have been applied for.

“I hope this action shows the seriousness of these orders and that we will enforce them and take any breaches to the courts. I would like to thank those who have reported breaches to us, and ask that they continue to do so.”