Fifth Romanian jailed for begging in Douglas town centre

Magistrates tell 52-year-old: 'This will not be tolerated'

A fifth Romanian national has been jailed after being caught begging on the streets of Douglas.

Dumitru Mereuta, of no fixed abode, admitted an offence of vagrancy at Douglas Courthouse today (26 July). 

The 52-year-old was arrested on Saturday (22 July) after being spotted asking for money on Duke Street.

"I am at your mercy"

Police were called by a witness, at 8.30pm, who’d seen Mereuta wheeling a shopping trolley through the street and ‘milling about unusually’. 

The Romanian sat down on the pavement outside a shop, pulled a blanket over his legs, and placed his hat in front of him. 

He then got out a sign which read: “I am at your mercy. Please help me. I am paying the rent. May god help you.” 

Three people were seen giving him money. 

He was arrested and taken to Police Headquarters and then to Noble’s Hospital for medical treatment. 

After being charged, on his release from hospital, he told officers: “I was unaware of this law – if I was I would not have come here.” 

Vagrancy

The Romanian – who was assisted in court by an interpreter – was prosecuted under the Vagrancy Act of 1896 for ‘wandering abroad…not having any visible means of subsistence, and not giving a good account of himself’. 

Magistrates were told he was seen on CCTV talking to four other Romanians who were also arrested for vagrancy. 

They were jailed on Tuesday (25 July) – you can find out more HERE. 

The court heard Mereuta was also arrested on 5 July for vagrancy but had been de-arrested by police and taken to the Sea Terminal with instructions to leave the Island. 

His advocate said his client had come here with the belief he could gain employment but no job had materialised adding: “He found he had nowhere to go.” 

Exclusion

Jailing Mereuta, who has no previous convictions, for 21 days Magistrates told him: “It is unfortunate that you did not take the first warning and get back on the boat when asked to do so by the police.”

Imposing a five-year exclusion order the chair of the bench added: “This is something that will not be tolerated by the Isle of Man."

Arrangements will be made for Mereuta's removal from the Island, on his release from custody, at the direction of the chief constable.