Court closes 12th problem property in a year
Hartlepool Borough CouncilA property shut down due to anti-social behaviour and drug dealing is the 12th in a town to be closed in a year.
Teesside Magistrates' Court granted a closure order for 18 Mapleton Road in Hartlepool after local residents complained about crime there.
The court heard visitors frequently arrived the building throughout the day and until the early hours of the morning, with drug dealing taking place at a rear gate.
Ch Insp Andy Liddell from Cleveland Police said it was "unacceptable for a minority of people to cause misery and suffering" to others in the community.
"To secure a 12th closure order in 12 months demonstrates our commitment to dealing with the issues of anti-social behaviour in our neighbourhoods," he said.
The court granted the three-month closure order to the Hartlepool Community Safety Team which is includes representatives from Hartlepool Borough Council, Cleveland Police, Cleveland Fire Brigade and Cleveland Victim Care and Advice Service.
The maximum penalty for breaching the order is a six-month prison sentence or unlimited fine.