As part of partnership day in ASB Awareness Week, we want to share a case study around a closure order that took place in Nuneaton and Bedworth. This case study demonstrates the importance of effective partnership working for victim (and perpetrator) outcomes.

Thomas Venus, an Anti-Social Behaviour Officer, shares his case study with us:

The case study

In October 2023 I was involved in a case of anti-social behaviour that escalated very quickly in a short space of time. The initial report came in that there was a high volume of visitors to a particular flat in the block and cannabis use in the flat. I visited the complainant who provided further information that motorbikes were being stored in the communal corridor and the police had attended on at least one occasion to seize one of these bikes as they were stolen.

 

I sent an initial ASB warning letter to the tenant and planned to visit them in a weeks’ time to discuss the concerns. However, before this visit could take place it escalated to multiple aggravated burglary incidents in the Nuneaton area. Each incident the police traced the suspects back to the flat and it resulted in at least two ‘police sieges’ of the block whereby armed Police Officers surrounded the block and arrested individuals involved. On the third occasion, the tenant was arrested on suspicion of involvement in an aggravated burglary and being arrested in possession of a claw hammer. CCTV also captured multiple males entering the block and going to the flat in open possession of machetes. The situation was escalating and causing significant ASB in the locality with a large commitment of police resource. Other residents also had to be evacuated from the block due to the risk of the unknown males inside the flat who had barricade themselves in prior to police forcing entry and making multiple arrests.

 

Due to the significant impact on other residents in the block, the weapons clearly seen, and serious risk of harm I did two things in liaison with Warwickshire Police:

 

  1. The complainant who supplied the CCTV footage was moved urgently. I applied for an urgent management move and they were moved away from the block so they could safely provide the CCTV which when shown to the suspects would identify who had provided the footage. Some of the suspects were also remanded into custody so were facing potential length sentences.
  2. I immediately secured the flat with SITEX to control access on the front door as it was a top floor flat. Contact was immediately made with the tenant and her direct next of kin with her permission. The tenant themselves had been clearly involved in the ASB to some extent however had been admitted to a ward for support with their mental health. They stated they had no intention to return to the property, but it had clearly gotten out of control. I made contact with the tenants Social Worker and explained the situation and all parties were in agreement that supported living would be the best way forward.

I then immediately prepared an application for a full closure order of the property. I had been collecting the evidence as I went along which made submitting the application much quicker. I worked with Anthony Collins law firm from Birmingham with permission of my line management.

The key was liaising with our Housing Solutions Team who are our Homeless Team, as in theory I would be making the tenant homeless for three months. They would hold a social housing tenancy but would not be permitted access to live back at the property for a minimum of three months. I could also extend this to six months.

 

Due to the nature of closure orders, Anthony Collins liaised with the court to book a hearing date in and then we worked backwards and served the closure notice 48 hours prior to the closure hearing. This involved the use of a process server to serve the paperwork on the tenant in court and a copy supplied to her mother who she had named as her advocate.

Due to the tenant’s vulnerabilities we had to ensure the Equality and Impact Assessment and Public Sector Equality Duty Review was extensive – which I ensured it was in this case. Despite the vulnerabilities of the tenant the serious impact of the ASB was causing huge disruption and excessive police resource to police over a three week period in 2023. It clearly could not be allowed to continue. However, due to the high number of people involved, individual Injunctions on each person would have been ineffective and too slow to stop the problem. They also had a high risk of being breached with the property remaining insecure.

I therefore went for a full closure order which served the purpose of stopping the ASB immediately in its tracks. It also gave breathing room for the other residents in the block. I was able to safely move the Witnesses who provided the CCTV to another Property on a permanent basis. This ended up in positive results for the Police as victims/witnesses were not scared to come forward as they were no longer in the locality. In addition, I supported the perpetrator (tenant) in this case to receive support through Adult Social Care, Mental Health and by liaising with the family.

Read more about the case here: https://www.coventrytelegraph.net/news/local-news/notorious-council-flat-troublespot-closed-28160576

Our thoughts

This is an excellent example of the correct use of closure orders to nullify a range of anti-social and criminal incidents that were having such a detrimental impact on not only individuals but on the wider community.

Incidents like this not only demonstrate the wide ranging and devastating nature of anti-social behaviour but also the power of the legislation developed to tackle these issues when used effectively. It also helps to show the benefits of community collaboration.

Everyone from victims, to witnesses, to local agencies all working in partnership with one common aim: making communities safer.