Neighbours were 'living in fear' as Sutton-in-Ashfield flat closed down by police

A flat in Sutton-in-Ashfield has been closed by Nottinghamshire police after becoming a ‘magnet’ for drug related crime and antisocial behaviour. Officers closed the property on Priestsic Road, in Sutton-in-Ashfield on March 3 after neighbours persistently complained about drug dealing and associated criminality.

Nottinghamshire Police issued the closure order, under the Anti Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, which bans anyone from entering the property for a period of three months.

The closure order was later confirmed by Nottingham Magistrates’ Court. The order means that anyone who breaches the order would be committing a criminal offence and liable to a fine or imprisonment.

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This is one of several closure orders in recent months as Nottinghamshire Police partners with Ashfield District Council. The order also allows the landlord of the Sutton-in-Ashfield property to pursue grounds of mandatory repossession.

The police issued a closure order of the property (Ashfield Distict Council)

Inspector Jon Hewitt, district commander for Ashfield, said: “This property had become a magnet for drug-related criminality and antisocial behaviour.

“Neighbouring residents were left living in fear, and I am delighted that we have now been able to take such decisive action to protect them. This latest closure is one of many we have concluded in the Ashfield area, and I can assure residents that it will not be the last.

“We are currently looking to take similar action against other local problem addresses and hope this latest proactive closure serves as a warning to others about the potential consequences of this kind of criminality.

“We won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour and will move swiftly to protect local residents when we become aware of this kind of behaviour.”

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