An elderly man had his home taken over “as a base for drug supply” while he was still living in it - leaving him and neighbours terrified.
The house in Talbot Green has now been shut down and boarded up in a joint operation by RCT council and South Wales Police
Residents living near the house in Heol Miles, Talbot Green, flooded police and council officials with 52 complaints about drug dealing and people visiting the house since June this year, said Rhondda Cynon Taf council.
In May, there was also a heroin overdose at the property, said the authority.
Read more: Seventeen homes in Tonyrefail and Tonypandy raided by police in crackdown on drug dealing
Now, police and the council have had the house closed down after taking the matter to court.
And the community has been reassured that their street should be peaceful once again.
Paul Mee, service director for public health and protection at RCT council, said: “This is an exceptional case in which a homeowner has been taken advantage of by preying individuals who have ruled over him with fear.”
No-one must enter before January 8, 2016
In a statement, RCT council told how on November 13, the police and council joined forces to present a case for the closure under the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014 at Pontypridd Magistrates’ Court.
The house has since been boarded up, with its gas and water supply switched off.
The closure order is for eight weeks.
It will be an offence for anyone to seek entry before January 8, 2016.
The council says that since June, there had been 52 reports associated with the address – all based on drug dealing and people visiting the house at all hours of the day.
The address has been subject to three drugs warrants in 2015 and was the site of a heroin overdose in May, said the authority.
Arrests and charges have been made in relation to the drugs and cash that were seized from the house during the warrants.
He was 'powerless in his own home'
The RCT council statement said the elderly man who owns the home is “extremely vulnerable” – and a female, who is no relation to him, had moved into the address.
The man was so frightened of the woman and her associates, he had been left “powerless in his own home”, said the authority.
As a result of the closure order, the man has moved in with his family and he has been referred to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub to receive the support he needs.
Mr Mee, of RCT council, added: “This is a complicated case in which the wellbeing of an entire community was being affected by the offending and activities at one address.
“Legal proceedings remain ongoing in relation to a number of individuals who have been tackled as a result of alleged offending in this property.
“However, the continued increase in complaints and the devastating impact the activity at this address was having on not only other elderly residents in the street, but the older man who lives in the house, meant we had to act swiftly and could not wait for the outcome of upcoming prosecutions of the individuals allegedly involved.
“As a partnership, we work hard to respond to community concerns and respond to them in the most effective manner and the way we and the police have applied the powers afforded to us under the Anti Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act should serve as a reassurance to our residents.”
People want to live their lives without fear
Sergeant Darryl Phillips of South Wales Police added: “We have worked extremely hard, along with our partners in RCT Anti Social Behaviour Team, to ensure that the anti social behaviour caused from the use of this address as a base for drug supply was stopped.
“It has caused great upset and intimidation in the area and the residents just want to be able to live their lives without fear every time the leave the house.”
PC Dave McCutheon added: “We would like to thank the local community for their assistance with this and we hope that this closure order will reduce the chances of the address being used again for such activities.”
See - http://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/terrified-elderly-man-home-taken-10470248
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