Home of 'nightmare neighbours' shut down by police

The home of "nightmare neighbours" who would fight and urinate in the street and fill the bins with gas canisters has been shut down by police.

A closure order has been issued on the house in Bootle on Merseyside after persistent anti-social behaviour, including confrontations with locals.

The occupants of the house on Croxteth Avenue had been causing problems, with violence and shouting, affecting the entire street and surrounding area, Merseyside Police said.

Police and Crime Commissioner Emily Spurrell is urging people to report any anti-social behaviour and said officers were determined to support communities.

Sgt Rachel Hassett said antisocial behaviour was a "huge problem" and one which was taken seriously by police.

Hassett said the property in Bootle had seen "lots of frequent visitors, lots of unsocial behaviour in the streets... shouting, urinating in the street... confrontations with members of the public".

"There has also been violent incidents in the house and spilling out into the street," she said.

The order was granted earlier this month and the occupant has been allowed to go in to remove their belongings.

Ch Supt Karl Baldwin said anti-social behaviour of this kind could have a "devastating effect on the people who have the misfortune to live nearby".

"It can have a real long-lasting impact on people," he said.

"Merseyside Police, together with partners and through the antisocial behaviour partnership, are determined to hear those people and react quickly to support them so that they can live their lives in peace."

He said the closure was one of a number of orders being issued across Merseyside as partners work to ensure early intervention.

While officers may not turn up instantly, Hassett said the force was working "in the background" to gain a picture of problem areas.

"Where calls are coming in repeatedly, we will come to those hotspots in the most pressing time that we can," she said.

"We start building patterns, and we may come out three days later, we may come out a week later, but we will take all those calls."

Spurrell said: "The police are determined to come out and support communities.

"It won't necessarily always get a 999 call, and I think that's important that the public recognise that, but absolutely they should get a response.

"If lots of people are reporting lots of different things, then the police can pull that picture together and figure out what actually needs to take place."

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