Crack house closed in joint action by police and council

The moves comes after complaints from local residents that they were being plagued by drug-related anti-social behaviour at the house in First Avenue, Armley, Leeds.

A judge at Leeds Magistrates Court granted an application by the council, the police and West North West Homes Leeds for closure of the property, under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003 after a previous hearing had been adjourned.

The property will now remain closed for a period of three months while Leeds City Council applies for possession of the property.

On December 21 last year, a search warrant was executed at the same address. Two women have been bailed for drug offences.

Local residents continued to report anti-social behaviour around the property, with drug users abusing residents, an increase in burglaries in the area and drug users mixing with parents and children at the nearby Castleton Primary school.

Used needles have been discarded on the school playing fields, presenting a serious health risk to children.

The pathways leading to the house have also become littered with rubbish and discarded drug paraphernalia, uncapped syringes, citric acid packets and burnt foil.

On Sunday, February 21, police again searched the property and the premises were temporarily closed.

The council's executive board member for community safety and chairman of Safer Leeds, Les Carter, said: "This is very good news for local people who have had to live alongside this property and suffer the consequences. It is important people understand that as a council we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour . "

Insp Mark Bownass, of the west inner neighbourhood policing team, said: "This drug den was seriously blighting the lives of local residents and, as soon as we had the evidence we needed, we worked with our partners in the local authority to get it shut down.

"Local people deserve to live in a safe environment and this latest action demonstrates what we can achieve by working with our partner agencies."