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South West Area
TENANTS ORDERED TO BEHAVE - 30 June 2008
Two Sheffield tenants have been ordered to behave or face the consequences.
Sheffield City Council has taken two tenants to court for unacceptable behaviour causing real problems for neighbours. In both cases injunctions were granted forbidding the tenants from continuing their troublesome behaviour. The tenants face a fine or even imprisonment if they are found to have breached the injunctions.
Edward Stewart, aged 35, of Birchwood Grove, S20, entered his neighbours’ homes without permission and verbally abused them. He also threatened neighbours at their workplaces and in the local area and damaged other people’s property. He annoyed neighbours further by shouting and swearing and frequently playing loud music. He and his friends were also drunken, rowdy, and intimidating at his property.
At Sheffield County Court, Judge Bullimore made an injunction against Mr Stewart, forbidding him from making excessive noise, being physically or verbally abusive to residents, visitors, and properties in Birchwood Grove, and contacting witnesses in this case.
Kerry Butterley, aged 21, of Landseer Place, S14 has received numerous warnings about excessive noise, following a history of complaints from neighbours about music, shouting, swearing, and door slamming. The noise was heard by Sheffield Homes Housing Officers on a number of occasions.
Judge Bullimore granted an injunction forbidding Miss Butterley from doing any of these things so loudly that they annoy neighbours: playing music, shouting and swearing, or banging doors. She is also not allowed to contact the witnesses in the case and she must also pay the Council’s legal costs of £320.38.
Councillor Bob McCann, Cabinet Member for Housing, and Safer, Sustainable Communities, said: “Fortunately it is only a small minority of tenants that cause these problems. Where tenants do annoy their neighbours and cause a nuisance we will take action, sometimes we only need to warn people but where necessary we will go to court.”
TENANT WHO DROVE HIS NEIGHBOURS AWAY HAS SIX WEEKS TO LEAVE - 21 May 2008
A Burngreave man whose excessive noise, violence and abuse forced nearby residents to move has six weeks to leave his flat - or be evicted.
His Honour Judge Swanson made an outright possession order in relation to Adam McNally, aged 47, of Bressingham Close at Sheffield County Court on 15 May.
Sheffield City Council, supported by Sheffield Homes, were seeking possession of the flat because Mr McNally harassed three nearby residents during his tenancy and was a significant, if not the only, factor in two of them moving away.
The Council claimed that Mr McNally was excessively noisy, regularly playing his television and stereo loudly at the same time. He also made false complaints about his neighbours and was violent and abusive towards them.
Mr McNally stated that it was his neighbours who were causing him problems and claimed the Council, and particular Housing Officers, were biased towards him and were not treating him fairly.
However His Honour Judge Swanson found the claims made by the Council were proved and that there was no prospect of Mr McNally’s behaviour changing towards his neighbours or anyone else. He found that although Mr McNally was not a bad man, he had an obsessive and critical personality and that his complaints against the council were unfounded.
Judge Swanson made an outright possession order and ordered Mr McNally to leave within six weeks. If he does not leave within this time the Council can apply for a warrant to evict him.
Meanwhile a Lowedges man has been given a suspended prison sentence for breaching an injunction stopping him from keeping a dog at his Sheffield Homes flat in Callow Mount.
Anthony Sumner, 28, found his case back before Sheffield County Court on 16 May for breaching an injunction made by the court in September 2007. Tenants are forbidden from keeping dogs in large blocks of flats with shared entrances and walkways. Since the order was made, Sumner has continued to bring his dog to his flat and keep it there for periods of time, prompting complaints.
His Honour Judge Swanson sentenced him to four weeks in prison, suspended until his injunction runs out in September 2008, after finding the allegations against Mr Sumner proved. If Mr Sumner breaches the injunction again, he will risk being sent to prison for four weeks as well as being punished for the further breach.
Joanne Roney, Executive Director of Neighbourhoods and Community Care, said: “These cases send out the message that people will not get away with making their neighbours’ lives a misery in Sheffield. We will continue to use all the powers made available to us by the courts.”
BREAKING A PROMISE AGAIN COULD MEAN PRISON - 21 May 2008
A Totley father has been ordered to control the behaviour of his three children.
Iftikar Ahmed, 37, of Aldam Road found himself before Sheffield County Court on 8 May following complaints over a period of time from neighbours that he and members of his family were frequently abusive and threatening to other residents.
While Mr Ahmed wishes to defend the Council’s application for a full injunction against him, His Honour Judge Bullimore made an interim injunction preventing abusive and threatening behaviour in the future and ordering him to control the behaviour of his children.
This will remain in force until the case comes to trial in July and Mr Ahmed could find himself back before the court if he or his family breach the terms of the injunction in the meantime.
Joanne Roney, Executive Director of Neighbourhoods and Community Care, said: “Miss Brown’s case show when someone gives an undertaking to a court not to abuse or threaten their neighbours, it should not be taken lightly. A broken promise can mean prison. Similarly, Mr Ahmed will be expected to comply with his injunction until his trial comes to court. Our priority is to allow people to live in peace without being subjected to this kind of behaviour.”