Rhondda Cynon Taf council and South Wales Police have joined forces to have a house in Talbot Green shut down and boarded up. An elderly man was still living in the house when it was taken over as a base for drug supply, leaving him and his neighbours terrified of the drug dealers.
Since June of this year there had been more than 50 complaints from local residents living near the house in Heol Miles, Talbot Green, about drug dealing and people visiting the house at all hours of the day. A heroin overdose had also been reported at the property in May.
Fortunately the house has now been closed down since the police and the RTC council took the matter to court, and the community has been reassured that peace should return to the street.
Offence to enter before 8th January2016
Director for public health and prosecution at RTC council, Paul Mee, said “this is a unique case in which a group of individuals have taken advantage of a homeowner by ruling over him with fear.”
On November 13th, the police and RTC council presented a case for closure of the house under the Anti Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 at Pontypridd Magistrates Court. The house has now been boarded up and the gas and water turned off. It will be an offence for anyone to try to enter the house before 8th January 2016 which is when the closure order ends.
The council said that the elderly male homeowner was very vulnerable and a female who was no related to him had moved into the house. He was was so frightened of her and her associates that he was powerless to do anything.
Since the closure the man has moved in with his family and has been referred to the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub who will give him the support that he needs.
Complicated case
Mr Lee said “This is a complicated case which has affected the whole community by the activities and offences being carried out at one address. Legal proceedings are ongoing in relation to a number of individuals who are believed to have offended at this property. However, because of the continued increase in the number of complaints being received, and the impact it was having on the elderly owner of the house as well as other elderly residents in the street, we had to take swift action and couldn’t afford to wait to see the outcome of upcoming prosecutions.”
Sergeant Darryl Phillips of South Wales police added “We’ve worked hard as a team with RTC council to ensure that the use of this address as a base for the supply of drugs was stopped. Residents want to be able to leave their homes and live their lives without fear and intimidation.
Hopefully the closure order will prevent this type of activity from taking place at this address again.”
