Justice officials are facing growing calls to scrap laws which "criminalise homelessness", after "disturbing" new figures revealed they have been used more than previously thought.
Last month the Belfast Telegraph reported that 45 people had been convicted in Northern Ireland's courts since 2015 using the Vagrancy Act 1824.
This Act was brought in to make it easier for police to remove destitute soldiers returning from the Napoleonic Wars from the streets, and it makes it an offence to sleep rough or beg.
It has now emerged, however, that another piece of legislation, the Vagrancy Act 1847, is also being used to prosecute rough sleepers and those begging.

Related Keywords

Belfast , United Kingdom , Tony Mcquillan , Jim Dennison , Naomi Long , Gerry Carroll , Simon Community , A Department Of Justice , Vagrancy Act , Justice Minister Naomi Long , People Before Profit , Justice Minister , Vagrancy Acts , பெல்ஃபாஸ்ட் , ஒன்றுபட்டது கிஂக்டம் , டோனி மக்விலந் , ஜிம் டென்னிஸின் , நவோமி நீண்டது , ஜெர்ரி கரோல் , சிமோன் சமூக , துறை ஆஃப் நீதி , நீதி அமைச்சர் நவோமி நீண்டது , மக்கள் முன் ப்ராஃபிட் , நீதி அமைச்சர் ,