Nightmare Neighbour Evicted

A Blackpool woman has been evicted from her Grange Park home after making her neighbours’ lives a misery.

The shocking antics of the 34-year-old, which included all-night parties and threatening others, also led to an Anti-Social Behaviour Order (ASBO).

Amanda Butler, of Furness Court, Blackpool was evicted today (Friday September 7) following repeated acts of anti-social behaviour, some of which dates back years.

Blackpool Council issued several warnings against the tenant about the anti-social behaviour of both herself and visitors to her property.

Complaints included the tenant running up and down landings pressing neighbours’ doorbells, threatening neighbours and a visitor setting a Staffordshire Bull Terrier on a Police Officer in order to escape lawful custody.

Butler also played loud music from her property, and all night parties often culminated in vomiting over balconies, bottles being smashed and fighting.  Despite the warnings, the tenant continued to make the life of her neighbours unbearable.  Therefore, legal action was taken to further protect the local community.

On August 16 Blackpool County Court made an Order for possession of the Council property in addition to an ASBO, and Butler was evicted by Bailiffs on September 7. 

Peter Jefferson, Chief Executive of Blackpool Coastal Housing - which manages the housing stock of Blackpool Council - said: “The successful outcome was the culmination of months of hard work by both staff of the newly formed Blackpool Coastal Housing, together with the Police, Blackpool Council Legal Services and committed neighbours of the woman who completed diary log sheets, which evidenced the shocking anti-social behaviour.

“The message from this case is loud and clear, act inappropriately and we can, and will, take robust measures to protect others.”

Inspector Steve Needham has responsibility for policing in the area. He said: “We have been working extremely hard with our partners to secure this excellent result. We will always take robust action against individuals who are responsible for anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhood.

“This woman has made the lives of her neighbours miserable for some time and today’s action demonstrates that behaviour of this sort will not be tolerated.”

The ASBO will protect not only former neighbours of the woman but also current neighbours and will remain in force within the whole of England and Wales until midnight on 16 August 2012 and includes prohibitions such as:

• Behaving or permitting visitors to her home to behave in a manner, which causes or is likely to cause nuisance or annoyance to any person residing in the locality of her home or visiting or otherwise engaged in a lawful activity in the locality of her home.
• Using foul, offensive, homophobic or any other language or gesture, which is or is likely to be threatening, abusive, insulting or distressing to persons in the locality of her home or in any place to which the public has access.
• Causing or permitting to be caused noise nuisance in the locality of her home.  For the avoidance of doubt, noise nuisance includes but is not limited to slamming doors, loud music, loud whistling, shouting, screaming, swearing, arguing and fighting.
• Approaching, threatening, intimidating, harassing or communicating directly or indirectly with any of the witnesses identified in these proceedings, or any other person who is or may be involved in the supply of information regarding the proceedings or any proceedings brought by the Police.
• Entering Grange Park Housing Estate, save other than for the sole purpose of visiting named persons on Haslow Place via a marked route from St. Walburgas Road onto Rodwell Walk onto Dingle Avenue onto Haslow Place, and she must not stay overnight or reside at that address.

Should anyone witness breaches of the ASBO, they should report them to Blackpool Police on 01253 293933 or to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.