ANOTHER man has been prosecuted for sitting on the pavement in Taunton.

James Geoffrey Hyam, 27, pleaded guilty to four counts of sitting on the ground in the county town when he appeared at Taunton Magistrates' Courts on Thursday (June 6).

He admitted one count of sitting on the floor next to a ticket machine in East Street, contrary to the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act on January 20 and three counts of sitting on the pavement "in a position to beg or gather alms" in an area he was banned from doing so by a Criminal Behaviour Order, twice in Magdalene Street and once in the town centre.

Hyam, who gave his address as Bridgwater YMCA in Friarn Avenue, was fined £20 on each count, with a £30 victim surcharge, landing him with a total bill of £110.

The magistrates decided to take no action when he also admitted breaching a conditional discharge.

The court ruling has echoes of the case of homeless Taunton man Haydon Baker, 33, who was jailed last month for a total of 20 weeks after pleading guilty to three charges of sitting on the ground in Taunton town centre "without reasonable excuse". He was also ordered to pay a £115 victim surcharge