RESIDENTS have spoken of their joy after their “nuisance neighbour” was temporarily evicted from his home.

Those living in Lugar Close, Colchester, said they could now sleep easily at night knowing their neighbour, named in court as Damon Brandreth, had been kicked out for three months following a hearing at Colchester Magistrates’ Court.

They had made complaints to Colne Housing after smelling cannabis and witnessing fights.

Gloria Moyes said one of her neighbours had seen one of the tenant’s friends urinating on her ginger cat, Haze.

Gazette:

Resident Gloria Moyes

She said: “There was drug dealing going on day and night, the smell of cannabis was everywhere.

“He moved in around 2014 and it started off very quiet, then suddenly we noticed people coming and going.

“They just don’t care, one of his guests peed on my cat.”

Gazette:

Haze the cat was urinated on 

Neighbours said they were pleased to see the ground-floor flat had been boarded up.

Mrs Moyes said: “I slept heavily for the first time and I know I can now open my bedroom window at night.

“I was ecstatically happy to see him gone.”

A case to close the house was heard at Colchester court and it was decided the tenant, believed to be in his 20s, should leave with immediate effect for three months.

Neighbours said streams of visitors had come to the house and fights often spilled out into the communal garden.

Reports on the case show there were nine recorded police incidents regarding anti-social behaviour, violence, threats with weapons and drug activity.

Resident Clare Beeson said: “He does nothing but cause trouble down this road, fighting and doing the drugs in front of the children.

“It’s not nice. I’ve been woken up at 4.45am one morning.”

Rubbish had been piled up where the bins had not been put out, and residents said they were happy to finally be able to live in a clean, safe environment.

Clare said: “We complained to the council about the rubbish as it was all down the side of the house.

It stank, and you could smell drugs all the time.”

Julie Emmerson, housing officer for Colne Housing, said it was a temporary measure which will be reviewed.

She said: “We do this if there is an immediate threat of danger to residents, then we will be looking at whether it is necessary to evict the tenant, to prevent him returning permanently.”

Neighbourhood officer, Rachel Gentry, had led the case.