June 11, 2022 7.00 am This story is over 21 months old

Woman who demanded money and drugs banned from house

The victim was tricked into believing she was his friend
The victim was tricked into believing she was his friend

A woman who ordered a vulnerable man to get her money and drugs has been banned from his property.

She befriended the man who was living in a sheltered bungalow, but he was left in fear as she quickly turned to exploiting him.

A Partial Closure Order was secured by South Holland District Council to exclude her from the home.

A report into Corporate Enforcement reveals how the man was protected and able to remain in his home.

The woman was initially friendly towards the council tenant, it says, offering to do his shopping and cleaning.

However, she turned to demanding money and making him fetch drugs for her.

Heartbreakingly, the man was unable to see he was being exploited, which made gathering evidence challenging.

A community warden was able to built a good rapport with the tenant, who eventually disclosed that he was scared of her friends and was trapped in the situation.

A community warden helped to bring the closure order against the woman | Photo: SHDC

The council applied for a three-month Partial Closure Order, which legally prevents named people from visiting a property.

Closure orders can also be used to shut down nuisance properties and drug dens for a period of time.

The report says that the order made the man and the surrounding community feel significantly safer.

It adds that the council will continue to support the tenant and prevent any future exploitation.

Community wardens gave out 98 Fixed Penalty Notices and 272 verbal warnings across 2021/22 in South Holland, both an increase from the previous year.

The report also gives details of a £11,000 financial penalty being brought against a landlord who didn’t register their property as a HMO (House of Multiple Occupancy.)

Despite a request from the council, the landlord never completed the licence application, meaning the large fine is now being brought.