Making himself at home: Shane Sims enjoys a cuppa with his 'hosts' Robert and Brenda Cole
Posted on 12/19/2007 12:37:58 PM PST by Stoat
A convicted criminal has moved in with a married couple against their wishes after giving their address in court as his home.
Shane Sims, 19, has spent the last few days living with Brenda and Robert Cole after he was sentenced to a week's curfew for breaching a supervision order.
But the couple claim the first they knew about it was when Sims, a friend of their daughter, moved in on Thursday - followed by security contractors who put a box in a bedroom to monitor his movements with an ankle tag.
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Making himself at home: Shane Sims enjoys a cuppa with his 'hosts' Robert and Brenda Cole
Sims' tag keeps him indoors between 7pm and 7am much to the horror of the Coles, who both have learning difficulties.
Mrs Cole, 47, said: "It's turned our lives upside down.
"He's taken over the whole place. He sprawls across the sofa and he's always in the bathroom when you need it.
"It's an absolute disgrace. They've let a criminal come into our home and there is nothing we can do about it.
"How can he get away with giving false details? Can crooks pick anywhere they like and just move in? Who needs to break into a house when the courts will do it all for you?
"When the men turned up and installed the tag box, I thought it was some kind of a joke. I told them there had been a mistake but they just said it wasn't their problem."
Sims appeared before magistrates last Thursday where he admitted breaching a two-year supervision order imposed for assault.
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Comfy: Convicted criminal Shane Sims puts his feet up
He gave the Coles' Bristol address as his bail address but the Probation Service did not verify it.
Sims claims he was told he could stay by the Coles' 16-year-old daughter Tanya after he fell out with his father.
He allegedly told Mrs Cole: "I'm staying here until the tag's off. There's f**k all you can do about it. The courts have told me to."
The court said it was looking into the situation but police said they could not act without a court warrant.
Sims said: "I said 'I'll be gone before Christmas' and I will be. I can't see what the problem is. They keep changing their minds. I don't even want to be here."
A spokeswoman for South Gloucestershire Council, whose social workers care for Mr and Mrs Cole, said: "We are seeking legal advice and doing all we can to resolve the situation."
There you go.
They should have raised their daughter better. At least it’s only a week.
I suggest they not give him food. Make their daughter cook for him, or bring him takeout.
WOW...im in awe with this.
i cant believe they are forcing this upon them.
i hope t oGod this kind of crap doesnt happen in the USA.
The Coles both have learning difficulties and are being raised by social workers themselves. Lovely. Left wing lunacy at its best.
He can't throw you out!
I wonder what would have happened if he had listed his address as 10 Downing Street?
If they want to eat lead (pipe) they can have my address. Damn, this article makes me mad.
That's right, and don't be shy! Specify the queen's diggs.
I'd give him food.
Remember in WWII we had a program where American Gun Owners donated hardware to help the Brits?
It's time.
It could have been 240 West Addison, Chicago, Illinois...
Agreed, although it seems that he could have even made up an address entirely with the same result, judging by the breathtaking ineptitude displayed by the various agencies involved.
At least it’s only a week.
If the same ineptitude and bureaucratic "it's not my job" attitude had been displayed in the matter of a violent criminal or a burglar, a week would be far more than what would be needed to utterly destroy the lives of this family.
I suggest they not give him food. Make their daughter cook for him, or bring him takeout.
Sheriff Joe Arpaio has some excellent ideas for prison cuisine that could be implemented.
Inside America's toughest jail (Brit paper says Sheriff Joe Arpaio's ideas would be great for U.K.)
Take the tv and the groceries and go on vacation. Let the utility companies know you will be off the circuit awhile. SS would have him relocated real fast. I would suggest the next address he gives to be a 4 star hotel. Maybe one of those 2000 dollar a night ones I see on tv.
?? There is no 240 West Addison Street in Chicago. That would be in Lake Michigan.
Heh heh. I hear it has a lovely view of the lake.
Aaarghh.
Pathetic!... he gets free room and board and gets to diddle their daughter... age of consent is 16 in the UK BTW...
He allegedly told Mrs Cole: "I'm staying here until the tag's off. There's f**k all you can do about it. The courts have told me to."
Bastard has to sleep sometime. Slit his throat.
This is The Onion right?
This strikes me as just another symptom of the “Clockwork Orange” culture of meek submission to violent criminals engendered by British gun control.
I give Radio Shack an address of 1060 West Addison.
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