Elderly resident evicted after drug dealers take over her home

Cleveland Police have defended their actions in a case in which an elderly women was removed from her home after it was taken over by drug dealers.

The case saw 78-year-old Kathleen Carmichael evicted from her home in Grangetown despite the police and Teesside Crown Court accepting that she was not involved in any illegal activity.

Police neighbourhoods chief inspector Emily Harrison more than 300 complaints had been received about drug dealing, aggressive and antisocial behaviour, criminal damage and littering in and around Ms Carmichael’s address over many years.

“Local residents had written to housing providers and police asking for help and describing the effect on their lives,” she said.

“We and our partners at the local authority and the housing association made continuous efforts to work with the occupants of the address.   

“The housing provider issued a written warning about issues at the address as well as meeting the tenant in person and installing CCTV at the property in June 2017 - however this was damaged shortly afterwards.”

Police saw no reduction in illegal activity and on 8 August last year searched the house and found heroin and evidence of drug dealing, and made two arrests.

Ch Insp Harrison said: “Due to the on-going issues, we therefore had no option but to seek a closure order.

“The court acknowledged the tenant’s frailty but also recognised the adverse effects that the crime and antisocial behaviour around that address were having on other residents, hence the application for a closure order which was supported by both the local authority and Accent Housing. These partners also attended court in support of police action. “

She warned that police would “continue to take robust action against anyone who persists in taking part or allowing such activity to take place spoiling the quality of life for the law-abiding majority”.