Linda Woolley admitted asking around 80 people for money

The first beggar in Derby to have an anti social behaviour order imposed on her has been fined for begging.

But Linda Woolley, 20, will not go to jail because the offence happened before the order was imposed.

Last week, the recovering heroin addict became the first beggar to be banned by magistrates from coming into the centre of Derby.

She was caught on CCTV in April pestering about 80 people in the city centre for money.

"Aggressive" begging

On Wednesday the magistrate gave Miss Woolley, from the city's Mackworth Estate, credit for pleading guilty, but pointed out her begging had been considered "aggressive" and fined her �25 with �55 costs.

After the hearing she complained the conditions of the anti-social behaviour order were causing her problems.

She said: "I do find it unfair because I can't do day-to-day activities, I can't go anywhere, I can't do anything."

She added that she had stopped begging now and had a job.

We stop them doing what they don't always want to do and certainly what the public don't want them to do Andy Thomas, Derby Community Safety Partnership

If Woolley breaches the order and approaches people or enters Derby city centre without permission, she could be jailed for up to six months.

Boxes are still available in Derby for the public to donate into to help the homeless rather than give directly to beggars.

But officials have defended the effectiveness of anti-social behaviour orders.

Andy Thomas, from Derby Community Safety Partnership, stresses: "They put very clear prohibitions and restrictions on people's behaviour so we have a starting point.