Two taken to court for repeated street drinking in Ilfracombe

Two Ilfracombe men have fined for repeated street drinking in the town following a successful prosecutions from North Devon Council.

Leo Melchior and Jonathan Pines were each found guilty in their absence at separate hearings at Barnstaple Magistrates’ Court on Monday, October 19.

Melchior, aged 40, of Oxford Grove, Ilfracombe, was found guilty of failing to comply with a Community Protection Notice (CPN) served to him in July 2026.

Melchior’s CPN requires him not to consume or be in possession of an open container of alcohol within the council's Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) areas or Ilfracombe's Wildersmouth, Cheyne or harbour beaches. The CPN also prohibits antisocial behaviour such as shouting or swearing at members of the public, littering and public urination.

He breached the CPN five times between August 21 and September 10, with all five incidents taking place in Ilfracombe High Street. Street marshals saw him with alcohol twice on August 21 and he was seen drinking alcohol on August 26 and August 27. On all four occasions he surrendered his alcohol to the street marshals.

A further incident occurred on September 10, when he was dealt with by police after urinating in a shop window.

Melchior was ordered to pay a total of £600, comprising a £250 fine, £250 in costs and a £100 surcharge.

Pines, of Runnacleave Road, Ilfracombe, was found guilty of breaching the council’s PSPO, which forbids the consumption of alcohol in the town centre.

He was seen drinking by street marshals in Northfield Road on May 20 and June 2, refusing to surrender his alcohol on both occasions. His case was progressed to court after he refused to pay a fixed penalty notice for the offences.

Pines was ordered to pay a total of £330, comprising a £200 fine, £50 in costs and an £80 surcharge.

Councillor Peter Leaver, deputy leader of North Devon Council, said: “Everyone should be able to enjoy our town centres without being affected by persistent antisocial behaviour. These cases show that we will take action when people repeatedly ignore the measures in place to protect our public spaces.

“Our street marshals work alongside council officers and the police to tackle these issues and help keep our towns safe and welcoming places for residents, businesses and visitors.”

The PSPO is in place in parts of Barnstaple and Ilfracombe to help create safer, more welcoming town centres. It gives the council and police powers to tackle antisocial behaviour, including the misuse of alcohol and other intoxicating substances, public urination and defecation, aggressive begging and behaviour causing harassment, alarm or distress.