"Numerous kickings!" Council house at centre of fights and drug-taking in Jarrow to remain boarded up
Council house boarded up after numerous cases of anti-social behaviour is to stay closed
A South Tyneside council house at the centre of anti-social behaviour is to remain under forced closure – bringing continued peace to its neighbours.
The property in Epinay Walk, central Jarrow, was ordered to be boarded up in January after reports of drug taking and selling and other rowdy goings on.
These included fights spilling into the street, the tenant being threatened with a knife and noise disruption at all hours of the day.
Borough magistrates granted South Tyneside Council a temporary three-month closure order on Tuesday, January 13.
Council bosses returned to the same court to ask for a repeat length closure order to ensure the property's last tenant cannot return - and were granted their request.
Victoria Malloy, representing the local authority, said residents had reported finally being able to sleep at night after he was given the boot.
But she revealed trouble had followed in his wake to another address, with his group of lout friends and associates going with him and causing more trouble.
Ms Malloy said the council feared he would return and cause more chaos if the order extension was not granted.
She added: “The police have also been consulted and they fully support this application.
“Residents have been spoken to and report how much safer they feel.
“The order has had a positive impact, and they say it is the happiest they have been feeling in a long time.
“There were a number of incidents that led up to the application, some 78 disturbances.
“There were numerous kickings of the door, the selling of drugs and supply, and noise behaviour issues at all hours.
“There was also shouting and fighting and threats, including with weapons, and the person living there being chased outside the property with a knife.”
Ms Malloy said the resident had been spoken to but had taken no responsibility for his antics.
She added: “The council and the police are aware that since moving to another property, that anti-social behaviour has been happening there.
“The people are just following him. He has demonstrated that he is not willing to take any responsibility or that he needs to change his behaviour.”
Magistrates granted a second three-month closure order to Sunday, July 12.