More Jail Time for Persistent Beggar Darren Bingham

Sentenced to eight months after ignoring lockdown rules to try and con people

40-year-old Darren Bingham is back in jail after once again having been caught begging for money using false pretences.

The conman, who often operates in Chiswick, has been locked up for eight months after Isleworth Crown Court heard that he had 58 previous convictions for similar offences. He already had a criminal behaviour order against him which banned him from begging in England and Wales.

He had ignored lockdown rules to knock on people's doors saying that his father had been rushed to hospital and he needed cash to get to see him.

Police arrested him after he went to the same road in Chiswick on two consecutive days. One of the householders he called on was aware of his activities and called the police.

Bingham has previously been convicted for multiple breaches of his court order and was sentenced to 16 weeks imprisonment on 22 January last year.

In March 2018 he was sent to prison for 5 months after failing to appear in court. Previous warnings have been given about him dating back to 2013. At that time the police described him as a conman who preyed on often vulnerable victims to feed his drug habit despite being placed under an Anti-Social Behaviour Order.

He was given a five-year antisocial behaviour order in May 2012, banning him from knocking on doors or begging in a public place.

After his latest conviction the judge warned his sentences would continue to increase if his offending continued.

May 24, 2020