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The property that the woman and her family were evicted from |
Evicted mum-of-six ‘relief’ over move
Neighbours praise judge’s decision after suffering ‘intimidation and abuse’ from family
A MOTHER and her six children have been evicted from a leafy Barnsbury square after being accused of terrorising their neighbours.
But the woman, who has asked not to be named, said the decision to force her family from Milner Square is the greatest thing that has happened to her.
The mother, who says she is studying American law at an Islington college in the hope of moving to the US, said: “Now I’ve got a fresh start. I’m never going back to that borough [Islington]. I was born and bred there and I’m ashamed of it.
“I’d like to be rehoused here or further out in the suburbs. I haven’t had any kids hanging round my front door. I’ve only been here a few days but I’m so relaxed and so are my children. It’s the best thing they’ve ever done for me.”
Partners for Improvement, who manage 6,500 Islington council homes, evicted the family on Friday, after winning a six-day possession hearing at Central London County Court in September.
Partners claimed the family had subjected neighbours to months of anti-social behaviour, including noise disturbance, dog fouling, littering, youths congregating, foul language, verbal abuse and threats of physical violence.
Judge Timothy Lamb QC told the court: “The claimants have satisfied me that there are insufficient reasons to justify withholding an immediate order for possession.”
The family are in temporary accommodation outside the borough while Islington Council decide if it has an obligation to rehouse them.
Before going to court, Partners had obtained two injunctions against the mother, an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) against her daughter’s boyfriend and six “acceptable behaviour” contracts involving visitors to the house.
In May this year, her 15-year-old son was served with a two-year Asbo banning him from carrying fireworks, a baseball bat, an iron bar or ammonia in public.
But when neighbours continued to complain, Partners took their case to the courts.
Speaking to the Tribune last night (Thursday), the mother said: “It’s difficult being a single parent with six children, specially when two have ADHD. I’ve certainly failed in some ways, but there’s no manual for it.
“I was scapegoated by certain neighbours. They said anything that went wrong in Milner Square was my fault. I’ve always owned up if my children have done something. It seems so unfair that I seem to be blamed for everything. Sometimes it was my children, but two of them, not all of them.
“The sense of relief is amazing. The only thing I miss is my close neighbours. I have more friends there than enemies.”
She said she was pleased to leave Milner Square, adding: “The council should do something for the children. No kid’s an angel, but they are not bad, they are bored. They just hang about. They break into cars, get into drugs. Milner Square is riddled with drug dealers. It’s really not nice, it’s like Albert Square. It’s extremely difficult to bring up any child in the inner city.
“Milner Square is very oppressive. Everybody knows what everyone’s doing. It’s like Chinese whispers.”
She added: “Being a mother of six can be frustrating, but it can be great fun. My children are amazing people. They bring me great joy and heartache.
“I want to give them the same chance as everyone else. They didn’t really want to lose their friends but it’s a new start but I’ve explained sometimes you have to do things you don’t want to. Now they are here they love it.”
During the court hearing, one witness described persistent intimidation by members of the family. Another reported regular homophobic abuse. A third told of an incident when he was terrorised and assaulted by a gang of youths including members of the family.
One neighbour told the Tribune: “The mother was very nice, but she just couldn’t cope with the children. There were periods when the children really behaved badly to residents. They were a very difficult family. We all feel for the mum. She needed help.”
Another resident said: “For obvious reasons I’m glad that the family are no longer living here, but I hope that wherever they go they will be given proper support.”
The daughter of one elderly resident said: “It’s great news. I will no longer be worrying about my father night after night.”
Another neighbour said: “Residents can now feel safe in their own home.”
Partners’ David Westworth said: “We could not have achieved this without the help of many brave residents, and we want to say a huge thank you to them.”
Council leader James Kempton said: “We will not tolerate this kind of persistent anti-social behaviour. It is really hard to get judges to evict people.
“It must have taken a lot of courage for witnesses to come forward. But without their evidence we never could have achieved this result. It’s a victory for people power and a prime example of what residents, the council and police can achieve when we work together.” |
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