A man from Spalding has been jailed after entering a building with a partial closure order served on it on 11 occasions over the course of a month.

Andrew Searle, 56, of Pinchbeck Road, Spalding repeatedly breached the order in place at a property in Oak Court, Spalding by entering the premises 11 times between September 8 and October 8, 2026.

Police issued the order following evidence of mate crime and the exploitation of a vulnerable tenant at the property.

What is mate crime?

Typical examples include:

Taking money or possessions from someone who believes the offender is their friend.
"Borrowing" money and never repaying it.
Taking over a person's home for criminal activity (often referred to as cuckooing).
Encouraging a vulnerable person to commit offences on someone else's behalf.
Emotional, physical, or sexual abuse by someone perceived to be a friend.

An investigation was launched, which established that the property was home to a vulnerable victim of 'mate crime'. Evidence gathered showed that the man had attended the address on 11 occasions, during which he repeatedly requested money from the resident.

Searle appeared before court on October 14, 2026 and received a custodial sentence of five months' imprisonment as well as a Restraining Order until April 2028. The order prohibits Searle from contacting the victim or attending Oak Court.

Sergeant Callum Corder, of South Holland's Neighbourhood Policing Team, said: “This investigation, conviction and safeguarding of the victim collectively demonstrates the strength of partnership working between agencies across our communities. It also highlights the vital role local people play in helping us protect those who may be vulnerable.

“Members of the community raised concerns with us, and by working closely with our partners we were able to take positive action. We would encourage anyone with concerns about crime, anti-social behaviour or safeguarding issues to continue reporting them through the appropriate channels. The information people provide helps us direct our resources where they are needed most and ensures we can continue keeping our communities safe.

Councillor Tracey Carter, Portfolio Holder for Strategic and Operational Housing at South Holland District Council, said: This is a really positive result and highlights just how effective partnership working can be in keeping our communities safe.

“I would like to thank our Housing and Safer Communities teams, Lincolnshire Police and all partner agencies involved for their hard work and commitment throughout this case.

“By working closely together, we were able to protect vulnerable residents, take action against those causing harm, and ensure breaches of the Partial Closure Order were dealt with appropriately and show that this type of behaviour will not be tolerated.

“This outcome reflects the dedication of everyone involved and demonstrates our ongoing commitment to supporting vulnerable people and making sure residents feel safe in their homes.”