A squatter who broke into a house and refused to come out when police arrived has been jailed.

George Moses was sent to prison after breaching an order issued to him three years ago after repeatedly trespassing in unoccupied properties.

The 52-year-old was spotted breaking in to a house in Ramsgate on June 7 and police were sent to bring him out.

He was found by officers sitting at the foot of the stairs of the property in Grange Road and had tools with him and was refusing to leave, police said.

But officers convinced him to leave the building and arrested him on suspicion of breaching the five-year order he was given in 2016.

Moses, of no fixed address, was jailed for 19 months at Canterbury Crown Court after pleading guilty to the offence.

One of the conditions of the order issued to Moses banned him from entering unoccupied properties without written permission from the owner.

The order was issued after he was found to have caused damage to properties and nuisance behaviour to neighbours while squatting.

'The breach of this order shows a blatant disregard not just for the law, but also for other people’s property,' PC Rob Hitchcock

During the hearing at court, Moses was also convicted of possessing an offensive weapon in a public place when he was seen holding a crowbar while walking along St Augustine's Road in Ramsgate on May 31.

Investigating officer PC Rob Hitchcock said: "The breach of this order shows a blatant disregard not just for the law, but also for other people’s property.

"This order was in place because Moses has shown before that he can cause a lot of damage to the buildings he inhabits.

"Fortunately we found and arrested him before any damage could be caused this time.

"Receiving a prison sentence for breaching an order will hopefully serve as a valuable lesson to Moses, and others like him, that we will take action against those who cause a nuisance in the community."

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