Homelessness leading to revolving-door convictions for ex prisoner, Leeds court told
A homeless man continues to be returned to prison for continually breaking a court order out of desperation for somewhere to stay.
Emmanuel Faye was given another jail sentence at Leeds Crown Court after visiting his mother’s address, putting him in breach of a restraining order to keep away.
The court was told Faye was cold and hungry and had nowhere else to go after his last release from prison.
Faye had been given the five-year order in 2023 for attacking his mother with a large rock.
The police were called on December 18 last year to her property in Middleton because Faye was refusing to leave. He has breached the order several times previous.
Mitigating on his behalf for his latest breach, Mark Foley said: “When he is released from prison he is in the same situation.
“The reality was it was just before Christmas, he was bitterly cold, was homeless and had nowhere to stay.
“It’s a real defect in the system. There’s no agency that’s going to help him. He has no friends or other family.
“It’s a cycle. He tries his best to find accommodation, struggles, and in desperation goes back this mother who lets him in and feeds him.
“It’s so frustrating and very sad.”
He said that the 23-year-old had mental health issues and required medicating.
Judge Mushtaq Khokhar told Faye, who appeared in court via a video link from HMP Leeds: “You are an intelligent young man who had health issues that have been there for a long period of time.
“But court orders are made to be complied with. There was a good reason for it, there was some serious offending.
“Because you have no accommodation there’s only so much you can do before resorting to going back to your mother’s.
“Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do. The only option is to send you to custody.”
He gave Faye a new five-month prison sentence.