Magistrates have ordered that a rented flat be closed for three months after hearing reports of serious anti-social behaviour and criminality.
Teesside Magistrates Court was told that the apartment on Barley Hill Close, Bankfields, Eston, was a drug den and the occupier, a man in his late 40s, “has a pattern of exploiting particularly elderly vulnerable members of society whereby he preys on them for financial gain.”
The application for the house closure was made to the court by Redcar & Cleveland Borough Council who worked very closely with Cleveland Police and landlords of the property, Beyond Housing.
A report handed to the magistrates by the council’s Anti-Social Behaviour Team detailed 63 separate incidents and intelligence reports of criminality and anti-social behaviour relating to the property and its tenant between October 2023 and January 2025.
The report said the flat was being used for drug dealing including crack cocaine, weapons associated with the property included a knife, baseball bat and 3ft high plank of wood by the door. There was also a report of assault, a man being scammed out of £4,000 and a claim that people were being told to pay protection money. The flat was also being used by vulnerable homeless women for prostitution with reports the occupier was paid by them in crack cocaine.
In the report submitted to court, the council’s investigating Anti-Social Behaviour Officer said:
“(The man) is both a danger to himself and the wider community by way of carrying weapons and knives and other weapons such as swords. His behaviour currently is relentless, dangerous and I genuinely fear for the lives of those that reside in the Bankfields area.
“(The man) has a pattern of exploiting particularly elderly vulnerable members of society whereby he preys on them for financial gain. He appears desperate now which may be fuelled by his drug addiction. Nevertheless, we have a duty to act in accordance with the evidence we are presented with and to protect the wider community from persistent, unreasonable behaviour and to the detriment of many of the lives of residents who are in this case vulnerable by virtue of their age and law abiding.”
Following the successful application for the property closure, Cllr Adam Brook, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“The law-abiding people of that area should not have to put up with this appalling criminality and anti-social behaviour near their own homes. Well done to everybody involved in this successful application to the court, especially those colleagues in our council and the police who work on the frontline to protect the public. I’m particularly pleased to hear there has been relief at this news from the good people in this community.”
Inspector Anthony Ford from Greater Eston Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) said:
“This is a fantastic result for our community. I hope this sends a message to anyone who commits crime and antisocial behaviour to think again because they will be dealt with robustly. We will continue to work with the council and take action against those who disrupt the community and make the lives of residents an absolute misery.
“I hope today’s result reassures residents that, together with partners, we are listening to their concerns and acting on the information they provide.
“Please keep reporting incidents to us, so that we can work to resolve the issues, by calling 101 or alternatively reporting non-emergencies via our website.”