House shut down by Cleveland Police
A house has been shut down for three months after ‘disgusting behaviour’ blighted residents’ lives.
Cleveland Police and Middlesbrough Council obtained a house closure order at Teesside Magistrates’ Court for 22 Ayresome Park Road. The house has now been boarded up with metal screens after multiple reports of anti-social behaviour and criminality at the address.
Nobody is permitted to enter the address. The police and Middlesbrough Mayor Andy Preston hope this will serve as a warning to other nightmare neighbours.
Mr Preston said: “I hope this sends out a warning to others living in Middlesbrough who ruin the lives of decent neighbours – you will be the next on our list if you don’t change your ways.
“Sadly I cannot dictate where the people will end up living – but leaving them where they are and causing misery is not an option. If your neighbours cause trouble and make lives hell then please keep reporting the issues.”
Landlords can also apply for a possession order which allows them to terminate the tenancy meaning troublesome tenants don’t return after three months, however, they don’t always do this.
Inspector Birkett from the Middlesbrough Neighbourhood Policing Team said: “I want this to be a warning to others living in Middlesbrough who are engaging in this type of behaviour that they will be the next on our list if they don’t change their ways”
It is currently anti-social behaviour awareness week. Cleveland Police has reminded people that there are a number of sanctions carried out in response to anti-social behaviour including issuing warnings, taking tenancy action such as closure orders, issuing criminal behaviour orders for persistent offending and making arrests and charges.
Chief Superintendent Phil Bond, head of local policing at Cleveland Police, said: “It is important that we work together as one to tackle antisocial behaviour and associated crime. Anti-social behaviour blights the lives of many residents in our communities and it won’t be tolerated. No one should have to live in misery.”
In the first four months of Operation Fortress in Hemlington, there has been a 45% reduction in anti-social behaviour, a 35% reduction in crime and a 36% reduction in deliberate fires within the area.