Success stories

Here are just a few of the antisocial behaviour (ASB cases) we have helped to resolve recently…

Injunctions

One way the courts deal with ASB is to issue an injunction. An injunction is a court order used to stop people acting in an antisocial way, or to keep them away from an area where they are committing ASB. If an injunction is broken, it can lead to a prison sentence. We work with the police and courts to take action against residents who break the terms of their injunction. This is what we have achieved so far this year:

• On 2 July 2012 we obtained an injunction together with power of arrest against a resident from Sussex Street in Winchester. This is to stop her from assaulting, threatening or intimidating any employee, agent or contractor of A2Dominion, or any resident or visitor to our Westgate Place or City Road projects in Winchester. She is also forbidden from inviting or allowing any guest into Westgate Place or City Road, unless it is the emergency services, or she has got our written approval beforehand.
  
• On 25 January 2012 we were granted an injunction together with power of arrest against a resident from Northway in Newbury. The court forbade her from assaulting, threatening, abusing or intimidating any resident or visitor to Northway, or encouraging any other person to do this. If she breaks the injunction she could be arrested.
  
• On 19 January 2012, Staines County Court found one of our residents from Stanwell had breached the injunction order and power of arrest given to them in August 2011. We worked with the police to take her back to court and, as a result, she was given a 42-day prison sentence, suspended until 15 January 2013. This mena she must follow the terms given by the court up until this date or she will be imprisoned for 42 days.
  
• Last August we worked with the police and residents to get an injunction against a resident from Newbury who had been threatening his neighbours with violence. He contonied to act in an antisocial way, breaking the terms of his injunction on three occasions. We worked with Thames Valley Police and other residents to bring the case to court, and on 26 January he was found guilty of three counts of threatening, abusing and intimidating behaviour and was sentenced to 10 weeks in prison.

'Crack house' closures and repossesions

In some cases we work with police to evict residents from our properties following acts of ASB, so we can repossess them. 'Repossesion' means the resident living there is ordered to leave by the court. The property is then returned to us to be relet. Here are some recent examples:

• On 8 May 2012 we were given possesion of a flat at City Road in Winchester following a crack house closure by the police. The residents were found guilty in court of dealing and using class 'A' drugs. These are the most harmful type of drugs and include heroin and cocaine. Our staff and Hampshire Police received complaints from residents living nearby who were worried the homes were being used for drugs. Their information helped police close the homes.
  
• On 26 April we got possession of two properties in Robin Hood Close in Farnborough, following crack house closures. The closures were granted by the court on 4 January 2012 under the Antisocial Behaviour Act 2003. They found the properties were connected to the use, production and supply of class 'A' drugs, which was causing disorder and serious nuisance to members of the public. Anyone remaining on or entering the properties will now be arrested.
  
• On 17 January, Staines County Court gave us possession of one of our homes in Shepperton after the resident was found guilty of serious ASB and breaking the terms of his tenancy. The resident and his visitors were drinking alcohol throughout the night, shouting, swearing and fighting. They were using shared areas as a toilet, dropping littler and causing criminal damage. There was also a stabbing after a fight between the resident's visitors. We warned him several times to improve his behaviour, but the ASB continued. We worked with the affected neighbours after they reported his behaviour to us and the police. Their reports were used as evidence when the case came to court. As a result, the resident was evicted and we were given possession of the property.
  
• On 27 January 2011, we were given permission to apply for an ‘Eviction Warrant’ to evict a tenant after she continually breached her tenancy agreement. She did this by not paying her rent and causing persistent antisocial behaviour that included noise nuisances, drunken behaviour, intimidation, verbal and racial abuse, using cocaine at the property, littering the estate, and constantly leaving rubbish in the shared areas.

Download our Antisocial behaviour terms in plain English leaflet for an explanation of the legal terms