A 70-year-old woman has been forced to sleep in her kitchen to avoid noise from her disruptive neighbours. And now the pensioner is worried about who will move in next after one of them was slapped with an 18-month prison sentence.
Sue Grayson has lived in the property with her husband for the past five years. Last month, she told a council meeting of the horrors she had experienced at the hands of her antisocial neighbours, which included car tyres being slashed, dog fouling around the property, recreational drug use and being kept awake at all hours of the night due to shouting, swearing and doors banging.
As a result, the couple are trying to leave their Yorkshire home. Mrs Grayson told Yorkshire Live: “I’m at a loss with what to do now. What kind of people are we going to get next?
"I’d rather go in a run-down flat in a better area where we won’t have these problems. Goodness knows how long it will take as we’ve been on the housing register for 12 months now and are nowhere near being rehoused.”
Yorkshire Live reported that Hannah Jones - the previous tenant - lost control of a Vauxhall Corsa on the M61 near Chorley and hit a Nissan Qashqai. This caused the Qashqai to spin and overturn, throwing 12-year-old Sana Patel from the car who was pronounced dead at the scene.
The pair were sentenced on March, 15. Ms Jones has been jailed for 18 months and given a two-year driving ban. Mr Iqbal has been jailed for eight months and banned from driving for 12 months. Ms Jones was not insured to drive the Corsa that belonged to her boyfriend Safeer Iqbal of Lees Holm, Dewsbury. The pair fled the scene and spent several months attempting to lie, claiming that Mr Iqbal was the driver rather than Ms Jones.
Previously, the council had placed a ‘sensitivity order’ on the flat following a previous bout of antisocial behaviour (ASB) from a young mum and her boyfriend. This measure supposedly prevents further cases of ASB from occurring in a location where there have been serious instances previously. However, it failed to prevent more problematic tenants from moving in.
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The homes also used to have an age restriction and were reserved for those of retirement age, which Mrs Grayson asked the council to reintroduce. Cllr Martyn Bolt (Con, Mirfield) has since echoed Mrs Grayson’s sentiments and said: “I would urge cabinet to review age designation as a matter of priority.”
At the meeting, Mrs Grayson described herself and her husband as “elderly, unwell and very depressed people” with their problems exacerbated by the behaviour of their neighbours. Since the meeting, she says Kirklees Council has done nothing to remedy the issues with the couple now facing more uncertainty as the previous tenant has been put behind bars following a hit and run.
Mrs Grayson explained that the police came to the flats last week and said she heard shouting. She also recalled hearing someone ask Ms Jones: “Have you not read your bail papers?” Ms Jones reportedly burst into tears and replied: “I’ve got a child upstairs.”
A spokesperson for Kirklees Council said: "We are aware of the situation at Bankfield Court in Mirfield. Our teams have been actively working with residents, the police, and partners to address the issues raised. We continue to use the tools and powers available to us. We have conducted home visits, provided log sheets for incident reporting, and maintained regular communication with the involved tenants.
"We take all complaints of anti-social behaviour seriously and urge residents to report their concerns, so we can take prompt action. Our commitment remains to provide safe and secure neighbourhoods for all residents."
