Police shut down the property for a second time after constant disruption from drunken crowds and rampant antisocial behaviour that left locals at breaking point
A notorious property at the centre of months-long drug-fuelled chaos has been slapped with a three-month extension to its closure order – after police renewed their request to the courts.
The flat, on Adelaide Street in Stonehouse, Plymouth, had already been shut down in April after officers presented damning evidence of constant disruption from drunken crowds spilling into the street, to rampant antisocial behaviour that left local families at breaking point. Now, after a fresh court hearing on July 2, the three-bedroom maisonette will remain sealed off until at least October 1. The original closure order, served in early April, banned anyone, including the tenant, from entering the property.
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Police, working alongside Plymouth Community Connections, Livewest Housing, and fed-up residents, told the court it had become a magnet for trouble. Officers said the home was inundated with visitors around the clock, creating havoc for the community and turning the lives of neighbours – some with young children – into a waking nightmare.
Neighbourhood policing sergeant Clare Moore previously described the toll it was taking on local wellbeing, reports Plymouth Live. She said closure orders are never the first choice, but every effort to turn things around had failed. On April 8, officers secured the initial closure order.
Sergeant Clare Moore reflected: “I can’t imagine how worrying this must have been for local people living in the area, especially those with young families. After receiving reports from residents and visiting the homes of those who were impacted, it was clear to see the toll this was taking on people’s wellbeing and livelihoods.”
Though the tenant was offered support through partner agencies, continued breaches and disturbances left police with little option but to take firm legal action to protect the area. The court agreed, approving a full extension. Moore said: “Our attempts and heightened activity in the area was unsuccessful, which meant the next step to safeguard residents from further harm was to obtain a closure order. We couldn’t let this behaviour continue.”
Police are now urging any residents experiencing similar issues to come forward and report it via their website, and to dial 999 immediately if a crime is taking place.