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A woman who has been begging on the streets of Yeovil for years has been given a conditional discharge after a passer-by said they felt "vulnerable".

Jane Irene Mulley was spotted sat on a part of Middle Street in the town asking passers-by if they had any change.

One member of the public said they were left feeling alarmed and vulnerable when the defendant begged for some money.

Another person she chose to beg from was an off-duty police officer and she was then charged.

Mulley, 62, of no fixed address, appeared in the dock before Somerset Magistrates' Court, sitting at Yeovil.

She pleaded guilty to a charge that on May 28 at Yeovil she put herself in a public street, namely Middle Street, to beg or gather alms.

She admitted an identical offence in the same place on June 8.

A further allegation that she used threatening or abusive words or behaviour against a man causing him harassment, alarm of distress was withdrawn by the prosecution.

The court was told that the offences were both alleged to have taken place while the defendant was living on the streets of Yeovil.

Prosecutor Ben Winzer said that on May 28 a witness was walking on Middle Street when she saw the defendant sat on the ground and another female handed her some money.

"The witness tried to avoid her as she walked past and when Mulley asked her if she had any change she walked past and said that someone else had just given her some money," he said.

"She said that this incident ruined her trip into town as it made her feel vulnerable."

On June 8 an off-duty police officer was in Yeovil town centre when he saw Mulley sitting on the ground between the Brighthouse store and a bookmakers.

"She asked him if he could spare some change so the police were informed and the defendant was interviewed at a later date," he said.

"She said she had no recollection of the incidents but said it was likely that she had been begging."

Addressing the magistrates herself, Mulley said she was not aware of committing the offences but admitted it could have happened.

"I don't ask for money all the time, it is just usually towards the end of the day that I might ask a few people, but I don't make a habit of it," she said.

"I get Universal Credit but I only get it paid once a month and it just doesn't last as I am sleeping on the streets at the moment."

Mulley was given a 12-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay a £20 victim surcharge but no costs.

The magistrates advised her to seek the help of the Citizens Advice Bureau to try and sort out her housing situation.

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