A Lowestoft man with a long list of convictions for begging has been jailed today for 16 weeks for his latest offences.

Carl Horth was sent to prison this morning after he breached an anti-social order (ASBO) that had been imposed on him on Monday and which banned him from begging in England and Wales.

Lowestoft Magistrates' Court heard Horth, 26, of Denmark Road, had breached the ASBO, which banned him asking for money, drink or food, within 24 hours of it being imposed on him.

Corinne Gook-Hurren, prosecuting, said on Tuesday at 12.40pm Horth approached a motorist who was eating a chicken takeaway meal in a carpark near the CEFAS laboratory near Pakefield.

Horth asked the motorist: 'Come on, I am starving, can I have a piece of chicken?'

At 4pm on the same day Horth then asked woman in a car in London Road South for '50p for a coffee'. He was then seen knocking on the window of a van,

Horth was given the ASBO on Monday after he admitted to four counts of begging.

The offences took place in Claremont Road, London Road North and Peto Way earlier this month.

Monday's hearing meant Horth had 57 convictions for 140 offences, mostly related to begging.

Richard Mann, mitigating for Horth at yesterday's hearing, said: 'We are dealing with someone who has educational problems. He has got learning difficulties.'

Mr Mann said the root of Horth's recent offending was that he was not receiving benefits after he was released from prison after serving a six week sentence imposed in December for begging and threatening behaviour following an incident at Lowestoft Library.

Jane Bowles, jailing Horth today for 16 weeks after he admitted breaching his ASBO, said: 'This is in light of your many breaches in the past, your prolific offending in the past.

Horth could have bene jailed for up to five years for breaching the indeterminate ASBO.

After the case, PC Mark Sargeant, of the Lowestoft North Safer Neighbourhood Team, said: 'We're aware of how much distress his begging has caused law-abiding members of the public.

'A lot of work has been going on behind the scenes not only to catch him but to gather evidence so that measures could be put in place to deal with his behaviour.'

Anyone who wishes to report begging in Lowestoft should ring police on 101.