Police can close premises where they believe drugs are used

A flat in the St James area was boarded up and the tenant banned from entering after a hearing before magistrates.

The closure order will remain in place for at least three months.

The act allows police and the local authority to close down within 48 hours premises where they believe drugs are being used, dealt or produced.

Northamptonshire Police said it would now be used at every opportunity against those whose behaviour "disrupts the lives of others".

St James community beat officer Pc Lorraine Brown said Northamptonshire Police had received repeated complaints about the flat from neighbours.

Anti-social behaviour seriously affects people's quality of life Northampton operations manager Superintendent George Shipman

"The action that has been taken today fairly reflects the pain local people have been put through by the things going on at this flat," she added.

Neighbours had already given "very positive feedback", Pc Brown said.

"I know they would support the message behaviour like this won't be tolerated and offenders could lose the thing they are denying their neighbours - a safe, secure home," she added.

Northampton operations manager Superintendent George Shipman said the surrounding area had been "plagued with problems caused by a very small minority".

"We hope this order will help us to return it to the decent, law-abiding majority and show people intent on causing trouble that we will take action against them," he added.

"Anti-social behaviour seriously affects people's quality of life."

This sort of immediate use of new powers for the benefit of local neighbourhoods is exactly what the government and communities want Home Office Minister Hazel Blears

Home Office Minister Hazel Blears said: "I am delighted Northampton Police have used this power to close down a property where drugs were being used and where the community were suffering with the extreme associated nuisance.

"This sort of immediate use of new powers for the benefit of local neighbourhoods is exactly what the government and communities want.

"Crucially, people in the St James area will feel safer away from the blight of the drugs in this property."

Chairwoman Dr Marie Dickie said Northamptonshire Police Authority had "always felt there was a need for greater powers to help police in dealing with this particular harmful activity".

"We have strong expectations the police in Northamptonshire will be acting against drug abuse and dealing forcefully in the coming year," she added.