A WOMAN who faked being pregnant to beg for money from people in Oxford has been banned from most of the city centre.

Chloe Brown, 32, also became the third person in the city to be given a Criminal Behaviour Order (CBO) at Oxford Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday.

Police said Brown, who has a room at Lucy Faithfull homeless shelter and claims benefits, “aggressively” targeted victims, even stopping drivers in their cars.

She admitted begging in May and June this year, and was given a six-month conditional discharge and ordered to pay £165.

Magistrates also handed her a three-year CBO preventing her from begging anywhere within the Oxford Ring Road.

The order also bans her from a large part of the city centre, except to go to Boots in Cornmarket Street to get medication, or to Tesco or Sainsbury’s in Magdalen Street to buy groceries, after which she must leave the area immediately.

Oxford antisocial behaviour officer Pc Mike Ellis, who applied for the order, said it was needed to stop Brown committing more offences.

He said she mainly begs from tourists and the city centre ban would keep her away from potential targets.

After the hearing Pc Ellis said “This is a good result.

“Miss Brown’s solicitor said her begging isn’t aggressive. However I think that stopping cars to beg from the drivers and pestering people in the street is quite aggressive, even if threats are not made.

“Begging in Oxford causes impact to local businesses, is intimidating for locals and tourists and obstructs already crowded pavements.”

He said Brown repeatedly approached cars as they entered the car park at Oxpens last May and asked drivers for money, saying she was pregnant and needed money for hospital treatment.

Pc Ellis said Brown had a history of convictions for similar behaviour in Oxford.

As she lives in a hostel, he said that she is not technically homeless, and also claims benefits.

Pc Ellis said Brown’s solicitor told the court she has been clean from drugs for years, so her begging is not to support a drug habit, but to supplement her income. He asked anyone who sees her begging to call police on 101.

Criminal Behaviour Orders came into law last October.

The other two people given CBOs in Oxford are Bernard Day, for begging, and conman Eric Austin, who was handed the order after dine-and-dash cons at Oxford restaurants.