A property in a popular UK seaside town has been served a closure order after reports of street fighting, drug dealing and shouting throughout the night. Devon and Cornwall Police have received reports of people who were under the influence of drugs and alcohol sitting on residents’ doorsteps at an address on East Street (Torre) in Torquay.
On Thursday March 6 the police worked to secure the full closure order. The order will prevent anyone from entering the address for three months, excluding the landlord. Police say the constant antisocial behaviour (ASB) at the address has had “a real impact on their livelihoods and wellbeing” of local residents.
Devon & Cornwall Police Legal Advisor Machaela O’Brien, who led on the closure order, said: “Police had received reports of street fighting, suspected drug dealing, shouting throughout the night and even instances of people who were under the influence of drugs and/or alcohol sitting on residents’ doorsteps.”
“The ASB that local residents were subject to was becoming a huge issue. It had a real impact on their livelihoods and wellbeing.”
After the closure order was served, police officers met with the tenant to ensure they had access to necessary support services while the closure order was in place.
A previous warrant under the Misuse of Drugs Act had been carried out at the address, which located an amount of Class A drugs.
Machaela said: “Closure orders are never our first course of action to prevent ASB and crime taking place at an address. Our local neighbourhood police officers always work closely alongside support services to engage with tenants in an effort to stop the harmful behaviours.
“However, in situations where issues continue or escalate, it does mean that we need to take further action to keep local people safe. And in this case, the closure order was the next step.”
Machaela added that she acknowledges “that the orders are not a long-term solution to ASB” and officers “will continue to engage with the tenants affected to safeguard and deter further offences occurring in the future”.
She said: “Thank you to the local community who came forward to report information to us. We are listening to what you’re telling us and taking action to keep you safe. We wouldn’t have been able to secure this outcome without your information.”
Those who are experiencing similar problems or are experiencing any behaviour that causes distress or has a negative impact on the safety of the community, are urged to report it directly on the Devon & Cornwall Police website. If a crime is taking place, call 999.
