Coventry County Court today backed the Council’s decision to terminate the Introductory Tenancy of Joseph Bourne in Milverton Road, Wood End, Coventry by awarding a possession order to the City Council.

Working under the Safer Estates Agreement, Housing, Environmental Services and Police officers combined to obtain evidence of:

• Stolen goods recovered from the tenancy

• An obscene banner being displayed at the property

• Repeated noise nuisance

• People urinating and throwing bottles from the balcony of the property

• Verbal abuse and missiles bottles being hurled at officers

Mr Bourne vacated his tenancy in Milverton Road in advance of the Court hearing.

The Court’s decision means that the Council can now formally recover possession of the property.

Councillor Peter Lacy speaking for the City Council said:

"I am very pleased by the Court’s decision and by the hard work of the officers involved in prosecuting this case on behalf of local residents. We adopted an Introductory Tenancy Scheme to make it crystal clear that a Council tenancy is a valuable asset and that we would use the legal powers available to us to reclaim those assets from the few who did not value them or their neighbours. Frankly, Mr Bourne allowed his tenancy to be used as a ‘clubhouse’ and caused horrendous problems for many people. This case is a further demonstration of the effectiveness of the Safer Estates Partnership between the Council and the Police."

Superintendent Andy Nicholson speaking for West Midlands Police said:

"This individual is well known to local officers and is responsible for causing serious nuisance in the Wood End area. The arrangements under the Safer Estates Agreement have enabled the recovery of the residential base from which anti-social behaviour was perpetrated thereby ensuring that he does not cause future problems.

"This move should offer hope to the vast majority of decent residents living in Coventry who are plagued by these individuals. It should also be seen as a warning by those who seek to disrupt the peace of others that they will also being targeted if they continue behaving in an unacceptable manner."