Woman evicted over drug factory in council house
A woman who allowed her council home to be used for growing drugs has been evicted after she was taken to court.
Police found cannabis and amphetamines worth an estimated £5,500 in total, along with hydroponics equipment, a cannabis grinder and weighing scales, at the home in Manor Road, Friar Park, where tenant Leanne Timmins, aged 39, was living.
Sandwell Council's anti-social behaviour team and Sandwell Police took Timmins to court to evict her for breaching her tenancy conditions.
Walsall County Court granted a possession order and she has now handed back the keys to her home.
The judge believed drug dealing was taking place from the property. The court also ordered her to pay £4,570.20 in costs.
This court action followed Timmins' partner Anthony Goggins, aged 42, being convicted of drug offences at the property in May 2015. He pleaded guilty to two counts of possessing a controlled Class B drug.
Wednesbury North Councillor Elaine Costigan said: "I welcome this possession case brought by the council and police.
"This tenant breached her tenancy conditions by allowing her council home to be used by her partner for drugs activities.
"We will not tolerate crime and anti-social behaviour in our community. This case sends out a clear signal that council tenants face eviction if they breach their tenancy conditions.
"It is not an easy feat to get to the level of evicting a tenant, it takes an awful amount of work.
"It pleases me greatly to see the council working in partnership with the police to achieve such a result. This is a strong message to those who are looking to offend in this way - they are not going to get away with it.
"Our kids are our future, and we simply don't want drugs on our streets."
At the start of March the owner of an empty house in Dudley Road West, Oldbury, was forced to pay more than £6,000 after allowing it to fall into serious disrepair.
The property in Oldbury was left in such a run-down state that water began to leak to the house next door while neighbours were made to put up with the overgrowing garden.
Complaints were made about the state of the house on Dudley Road West, forcing the council to intervene.
Christopher Perry admitted to failing to comply with an improvement notice and an abatement notice served by Sandwell Magistrates Court.
He had failed to co-operate with Sandwell Council's housing team and the house had fallen further into disrepair.
