Police used an eight-year-old Act of Parliament to disrupt drug taking and bring some peace to a Wisbech neighbourhood.
They have pinned a ‘full closure order’ on the property which bans visitors for the next three months.
A police spokesperson said the property has become “a magnet for anti-social behaviour and crime including drug use” and “has been shut”.
Authorisation came from the Wisbech Neighbourhood Policing team who signed off the full closure order for 20 St Pauls Close.
“Over the past few months, the property had been repeatedly damaged,” said the spokesperson.
“Suspected criminals had been using it, and it had attracted drug use and anti-social behaviour.
“It had caused significant disruption to the local community and residents.”
Implications were spelt out for anyone thinking of going there.
“The property has been closed for an initial period of three months,” said the spokesperson.
“This means anyone found there will be committing an offence and may be arrested.”
Police have urged anyone who thinks the order has been breached to contact them via their website.
The order prohibits any person from entering the premises, other than the property owners, tradespeople approved by the property owner and emergency service.
The law falls under Section 80 of the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014.
Failure to follow the order is a criminal offence which could result in imprisonment for up to three months, a fine, or both.
A police officer of at least the rank of inspector, or the local authority, may issue a closure notice if satisfied on reasonable grounds
(a)that the use of particular premises has resulted, or (if the notice is not issued) is likely soon to result, in nuisance to members of the public, or
(b)that there has been, or (if the notice is not issued) is likely soon to be, disorder near those premises associated with the use of those premises, and that the notice is necessary to prevent the nuisance or disorder from continuing, recurring or occurring.
A closure notice is a notice prohibiting access to the premises for a period specified in the notice.
Latest crimes figures for Wisbech show that in February – the most recent published data- show there were 117 reports that month for violence and sexual offences.
There were also 71 reports of anti-social behaviour in the month, 58 reports of criminal damage and arson and 40 reported cases under the heading ‘other theft’.
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