Kettering police get court order on flat to stop 'cuckooing' drug-related activities

Since April this year, Northamptonshire Police’s Kettering Neighbourhood Policing Team (NPT) had been called out to reports of drug use and associated anti-social and criminal behaviour at a property in the town’s Underwood Court, in Wellington Street.

After four months of ‘escalating issues’ at the flat, the NPT began gathering information about the impact on other residents, collating evidence and liaising with owners PA Housing.

PC Nottage said: “The Kettering NPT conducted a warrant at this address back in August after reports of drug related activity. Officers arrested a man with links to County Lines drugs, and a quantity of illegal drugs were also seized at the address.

“Since then, I have been working with PC Orton (NPT member) to build this application to submit to the court. To have it granted is a great result as not only does it offer protection to the vulnerable person who lives there, but also some protection to the surrounding community who have been living amongst this anti-social behaviour and criminal activity.”

After gathering a file of evidence, Kettering NPT Anti-Social Behaviour and Civil Orders Officer, PC Isabelle Nottage applied to the courts for a closure order under the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014.

At a hearing at Northampton Magistrates’ Court on December 4, a three-month partial closure order was granted, meaning any unauthorised persons who access the flat are liable to arrest and if convicted, could face a fine or up to 51 weeks in prison.

Cuckooing is when criminals take over someone’s home to use it as a base for crime. The criminals usually target vulnerable and isolated people using fear and violence to continue their activities.

PC Nottage added: “By using the victim’s home, the criminals hope to avoid the police. These criminals will usually target someone vulnerable and use these vulnerabilities to exploit them.

“Once inside the home, they take over the address and often become more aggressive, making the vulnerable resident too frightened to tell anyone or report in fear of repercussions.

“No one should be caused to live in fear or feel unsafe in and around their home. I hope this sends a clear message to these criminals and criminal gangs both within and out of county, that this behaviour will not be tolerated here in Northamptonshire.

“Northamptonshire Police will continue to work closely with partner agencies, and we will use both criminal and civil enforcement to ensure real accountability to those that behave in this way. We set out to make our communities safer and protect the members of public who live here.

“I would like to thank PC Orton, PA Housing and the local community for their support with this investigation.”

The local policing team in Kettering will be carrying out patrols in the area to ensure the closure order is not breached.

Further information around cuckooing can be found on the Northamptonshire Police by clicking here.