35 year old man, Matthew Brinton, a professional beggar in Bank Street, Cornwall, who begs for alms was video taped packing up his ‘begging gear’ and his into an Audi TT in a car park and driving off in it.
The person who saw him recorded his actions and posted it online, people who saw it got enraged especially those who had given him money and or food in the past, they said they felt betrayed by the scam.
According to Daily Express, contrary to what people thought, Mr. Brinton isn’t homeless, he allegedly has a home in Newquay home.
He says since the video was circulated on Facebook, the police has told him that he’s had several death threats.
Mr Brinton said:
“I have not seen any of the social media posts because I do not have access to the internet but according to the police I’ve had lots of death threats.
“People are assuming too much and I’m getting a lot of abuse, which is pushing me to suicide.
“This has been going on for years. “There is only so much someone can take.”
Inspector Dave Meredith at Newquay police said:
“He had a few threats, with people making stupid comments on social media.
“We’ve told him, you need to be careful because of the video on Facebook; there’s lots of ill-feeling and animosity because of it”.
Some of the Facebook comments supported him while others were against him.
One said: ‘Leave the man alone the dog Hazel is well cared for. Vent anger towards what is really making you angry – (it’s) awful bullying a vulnerable man’.
One critic said: ‘I’m particularly disgusted as he conned £40 from an elderly gentleman I know to ‘pay for a B&B’ for the night’ Then went home! The poor elderly gent was distraught that his kindness had been abused in such a way’.
Another said: ”I brought him hot food and a hot drink was very rude and ungrateful in front of my sons who were 8 and 12 at the time. I told them most homeless people were grateful and not rude like him’.
Another wrote: ‘Why judge people you don’t have to? He is an ok bloke just lost in life’.
Brinton said the car was left to him by his Grandmother but was stolen soon after the video appeared on social media.
