By Staff Reporter

Last updated at 13:42, Thursday, 04 February 2010

A house in Flimby has been closed down after troublemakers made the lives of people living in the area a misery.

PC Lorraine Murphy

At West Allerdale Magistrates’ Court, Deborah Jane Scott, who lives at the house on Station Road, sobbed throughout the proceedings as it was announced the house would be shut.

The 43-year-old said that she would be reduced to sleeping in a bus shelter, but was warned by police that she would be arrested if she did that.

Four witnesses were called but their evidence was handed in as statements and not read out in court.

Yesterday was the first time that the legislation, part of the Antisocial Behaviour Act introduced at the end of 2008, has been used in Cumbria, police said.

The law allows police to ask the courts for a closure order, similar to those used to close houses where there are drugs problems, for antisocial behaviour.

Afterwards the police involved in seeking the closure said they had acted after numerous incidents.

They revealed how more than 20 emergency calls to the ambulance service had been made in a year, with most of them for no reason. Even more calls were made to the police.

Drunk visitors came and went 24 hours a day, keeping neighbours up with their loud noise and antisocial behaviour and there had also been assaults and threatening behaviour, officers said.

Presiding magistrate Mike Ashbrook said the magistrates had found there was sufficient evidence to close the property for three months.

He said if Scott had nowhere else to go there were homeless shelters that would take her in.

Speaking after court, PC Lorraine Murphy, former Maryport problem solving officer, said she had been determined to see this closure through, even though she has since moved to a problem solving role in Workington.

“This property has caused so much disruption and distress for neighbours that we needed to get it shut,” she said.

“I have been working on this for some time and am pleased that there is now legislation available that would allow us to help those who have to live in communities that are being so disrupted.”

Sgt Graeme Hodkin said this was a warning that people must behave or be homeless.

First published at 11:23, Thursday, 04 February 2010
Published by http://www.newsandstar.co.uk