Evicted social housing tenant jailed

Published by Max Salsbury for 24dash.com in Housing and also in Communities, Legal

A woman who was evicted by her social housing provider has been jailed for eight weeks for a third breach of an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction.

Sharon Townsend was jailed just five days after being evicted by Gloucester City Homes.

It was alleged that Townsend was verbally abusive and threatening towards a witness in her eviction case. She was arrested and remanded in custody until a hearing could take place.

Townsend refused to leave her prison cell to attend the County Court hearing. The judge heard the case in her absence and said: “After listening to all the evidence in her absence I am sure she did shout at the witness and am sure she has breached her injunction order. I have decided to impose a prison sentence of eight weeks starting today.”

He also awarded court costs against her of more than £950.

Sara Taylor, Anti-Social Behaviour Manager for Gloucester City Homes, said: “I hope this sends a clear message to those who commit anti-social behaviour just how powerful anti-social behaviour injunction orders can be when they are breached.

"Even if the person has been evicted from their home because of continued nuisance behaviour, most orders prevent the perpetrator from causing any harassment, alarm or distress to anyone in the City. They are put in place primarily to safeguard those that have been most affected by the anti-social behaviour caused by such individuals."