Move to extend ban on travelling family from setting up Sandwell camp

Fourteen members of the Cassidy family were served an injunction last year stopping them from camping in the borough.

It came after the family set up camp on council and privately-owned sites more than 25 times between June 2014 and August 2016.

Now, Sandwell Council wants to extend the injunction.

It was based on the grounds the family caused anti-social behaviour.

This included assaults, large scale disorder, threats, intimidation, criminal damage and fly-tipping.

Also, as part of the existing injunction, 44-year-old John Cassidy, the head of the family, is banned from the whole of Sandwell.

The rest of the family are prohibited from setting up unauthorised encampments, causing damage to barriers and fly-tipping anywhere in Sandwell until August.

The council is seeking an extension to the injunction for as long as possible.

Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and investment Councillor Paul Moore said: “We’ve seen the number of unauthorised encampments we deal with fall significantly in the past year and this injunction has helped us to achieve that.

"We have also increased security at dozens of parks and open spaces and created a transit site where travelling groups can be ordered to move to by the police.

"Groups who move there must pay rent and a deposit for each caravan – and failure to move there leads to them being banned from Sandwell.

“We know the current order against the Cassidys has been effective so next week we’ll be back in court to extend it.

“We’re committed to protecting our parks and green spaces, as well as business premises and our residents, by continuing to crack down on unauthorised encampments."