Anti-social behaviour (ASB) can cause misery to communities and make people feel miserable in their own home and isn’t acceptable, that is why we take it so seriously.

In July, our Safer Estates Team, worked alongside Merseyside Police to successfully obtained two Closure Orders, for a property in Kensington, Liverpool and a property in Haydock, St Helens, both following numerous reports of ASB, disorder, and criminal activity.

Liverpool Magistrate’s Court issued the three-month Closure Orders for the Kensington property on Butler Crescent on 21 July and the order for Myrtle Avenue, Haydock on 25 July.

Closure Orders can be sanctioned under Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, will now be in place until 21 and 24 October, respectively.

The terms of the Closure Orders prevent anyone from entering or living in the properties. If anyone is found to be in the properties, they are liable to be arrested, with any breach of this Closure Order carries a potential prison sentence of six months and/or a fine of up to £5,000.

Talking about the Kensington Closure Order, Constable Ciaran Morrison from the Community Policing Team said:

“This closure order has been obtained though partnership with Torus and working with the wider community, who have been invaluable in sharing information with us to secure it.

“The ASB and associated criminal activity occurring at this address has caused alarm and distress to neighbours over a continued period. We hope this closure order acts as reassurance to the community that Merseyside Police will not stand by and let them suffer in their own homes due to the behaviour of others."

Talking about the Haydock Closure Order, Community Policing Inspector Stacey Pope said:

“I welcome the court’s decision to issue this Closure Order. This address has been linked to criminal activity and it’s caused a lot of concern for residents of the area.

“Merseyside Police will always act on any information we receive, so thank you to the community for coming forward to report these incidents as it’s helped us secure this order.

“We hope these Closure Orders acts as reassurance to the community that Merseyside Police will not stand by and let residents suffer in their own homes due to the behaviour of others.

“If you experience any offences where you live, please come forward and speak to us when these issues affect you, for all of our benefit.”

Torus Service Lead for Safer Estates, Scott Cooke added:

“Closure Orders, give respite to the community and allow Torus to seek permanent possession of the property from the Courts, preventing the return of the perpetrator and problems starting again.

“ASB can be damaging, and we are keen to ensure that concerns and issues raised by our residents are investigated and tackled. We strengthen our ability to resolve ASB by working closely with key partners to ensure that we get the best possible results. We have a zero tolerance when it comes to ASB.

“We cannot thank both communities for their support in getting these positive results.”

Always call 999 if a crime is in progress or someone is in immediate danger. You can also report ASB and other crime to the Merseyside Police social media desk @MerPolCC or ‘Merseyside Police Contact Centre’ on Twitter, or via 101.

If you or someone you know is suffering because of anti-social behaviour (ASB), tell us. Our teams are on hand to lend their support, find out more about support available and how to report here.