New charges against Frances Payne of Hampton Mill, Evesham

Frances Payne, owner of Hampton Mill in Evesham, put up fencing using barbed wire and chains in April 2021 after claiming she was assaulted and abused near her own home.

In February 2022 the 57-year-old was given the CBO which prohibits her from being abusive or aggressive to any member of the public using the footpath.

COURT: Frances Payne (Image: Sam Greenway/Newsquest)

Payne has been charged with breaching her CBO and a further offence of common assault. 

The Crown Prosecution Service alleges the offences took place on May 30 last year. 

Payne was scheduled to appear at Worcester Magistrates Court on Thursday, (January 4), but her absence was excused for medical reasons. 

The case was adjourned until January 18. 

Payne has unconditional bail.

• Payne will face a trial at Worcester Crown Court later this year. 

Payne denies three breaches of a criminal behaviour order (CBO), three charges of assault by beating, and using threatening, abusive, insulting words, and behaviour to cause harassment alarm or distress.

The breach of the order is alleged to have taken place on June 1, 2022, and one of the assaults is also alleged to have taken place on that date. 

BLOCKED: The blocked public footpath at Hampton Mill (Image: SWNS)

The other two alleged assaults are said by the prosecution to have taken place on June 23, 2022.

Some of those she is accused of assaulting are children.

Payne's trial is scheduled to take place on October 21 at the court.

• Payne also faces a trial for another matter next month. 

As we previously reported Payne denies a charge of using threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour to cause harassment, alarm or distress. 

The Section 5 public order offence is alleged by the prosecution to have taken place in Evesham on January 13 last year. 

Payne's expected three-hour trial is set to take place at Kidderminster Magistrates Court on February 6. She is on unconditional bail for that offence.