Closure order issued on Ellesmere Port flat linked to drugs and anti-social behaviour

A flat in Ellesmere Port which has been plagued by anti-social behaviour and drug related activity has been closed down.

Over the past year, police and For Housing have received numerous reports of ASB and drugs related activity at a flat on Warkworth Court.

This has included issues with noise, criminal damage and reports of numerous people attending the address day and night.

The activity has left residents in neighbouring properties feeling unsafe in their own homes.

After gathering a catalogue of evidence, officers from Ellesmere Port ASB Team attended Warrington Magistrates’ Court on Wednesday 24 November where they were granted a three month closure order.

The occupant of the address, a 38-year-old woman, has now been ordered to leave the property and find alternative accommodation.

All windows and doors will now be boarded up for a period of three months. Anyone who enters the address during that time is committing an offence and can be arrested.

Police Constable Warwick Evans, Partnership Co-Ordinator for Ellesmere Port, said: “The action taken today is a positive and pro-active response to the concerns of the local community. Everyone has a right to feel safe in their own homes and I cannot emphasise the relief that this closure order will bring to local residents.

“The activity at this address was totally unacceptable and I have no doubt that the closure order is the right result for the community and it will have a positive impact on the area.

“Residents can now go about their daily business knowing that the order has been imposed and that anyone found breaching it will be prosecuted.

“I would like to thank For Housing for all the support they have provided throughout this case and I hope that this closure will serve as a warning that people who choose to behave in this way can lose their homes as a consequence of their actions.”

Local residents are encouraged to report any concerns to Cheshire Police on 101 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.