Partnership succeeds in closure order
Safer Bridgend Partners have once again joined forces with the community to secure an order to evict nightmare neighbours from their privately rented home and close down the property.
They stepped into action following reports from nearby residents about the constant, unacceptable behaviour from the tenant of 21 Llys y Fran, Cefn Glas in Bridgend.
Residents called for action against the tenant after persistent incidents of disorder at the property with the noise nuisance, anti-social behaviour and intimidation having an impact on their health and wellbeing of local residents.
Neighbours and other residents pleaded with partners to help, saying the offending and intimidation was making them ill and keeping them up all night, making it hard for them to complete their day jobs effectively.
After considering the shocking diary of evidence that reported almost daily occurrences of doors banging, shouting and arguing, rubbish being thrown into neighbouring gardens and loud music, partner agencies attended Bridgend Magistrates Court last week (June17th) to secure a Premise Closure Order on the address.
The order, secured under the 2003 Anti Social Behaviour Act, means the tenant is evicted from the property for one month and the building will remain boarded up. Any attempts to enter the building could lead to arrest and prosecution.
This is the first such order of its kind secured by Safer Bridgend. The Community Safety Partnership is the organisation that coordinates and drives the efforts of all agencies that have a statutory duty to respond to crime and disorder, including the Council, South Wales Police, Health and the voluntary sector.
Its successful case last week was against the tenant, Alisha Llewellyn-John and was secured in little over one month - normally a procedure which takes several months.
General complaints relate to:
- Nuisance caused by the shouting and arguments among the tenant and visitors at all hours of day and night;
- Intimidating behaviour by visitors;
- Intimidation of residents in a bid to make them afraid to make complaints or give evidence;
Evidence presented in court also included a diary of specific incidents, with cases happening on an almost-daily basis since April 2010.
South Wales Police Officers, Bridgend County Borough Council’s specialist enforcement officers and residents alike attended the hearing to present evidence of their nightmares at the hands of the tenants.
After considering the evidence, Magistrates did not hesitate to issue the order, immediately closing down the premises. The tenant could not even return to pack before the property was boarded up to prevent re-entry within hours of the order being secured, but a representative was allowed to collect her belongings.
John Davies, Community Safety Co-ordinator, said: “I am so pleased partners have been able to secure this order on behalf of residents, who have suffered unacceptable levels of behaviour from the tenants of this address.This is the first such order of its kind we have secured in Bridgend and we are delighted with our partnership commitment to using the legal powers we have available to us to deal with anti-social behaviour.We will not tolerate such offending, especially when it has a disproportionate impact on the quality of lives of decent, law-abiding residents.The behaviour of this person was disgusting and unacceptable and I want to commend those residents who came forward and helped us present such a compelling case against them. As we boarded up the property they told us they were looking forward to their first night of peace and quiet, and a good night’s sleep, for the first time in ages".
Community Safety Sergeant Angela Bennett said: “The behaviour of the occupant and her visitors greatly impacted on the lives of people in Llys y Fran, who put up with noise, late night parties and persistent anti-social behaviour. The closure order shows that communities should not and will not be expected to tolerate anti-social behaviour.
I hope this will make residents feel safer in their own community, improve their quality of life and give them some peace of mind.The action demonstrates to residents that Bridgend Community Safety Partnership will take action against anti-social behaviour and criminal activity in the community. I would like to thank those living in the area for their support and understanding while this action was being taken.”