Islington Tribune - Police shutdown rowdy carck den

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Islington Tribune - by MARK BLUNDEN
Published: 18 May 2007

Police shutdown rowdy crack den

Tenant evicted after property’s ‘spiral of decline’

A FAMILY home used as a crack cocaine and heroin den in Newington Green has been shut down by the police.
Neighbours said the Victorian property in Ferntower Road was a magnet for rowdy youths but some were unaware it was being used to sell the high-addictive drugs.
The tenant of 59a, Caroline Buckley, was finally evicted by police and council officers last week after the house slipped into “a spiral of decline”.
It followed a court order and police raid on the property in March when they found 115 wraps of crack cocaine and heroin with a total street value of up to £2,000.
There is no suggestion that Ms Buckley, 40, is connected to the drugs and she has not been arrested.
It is understood they belonged to someone living with the woman.
While no criminal charges have been brought the case is still being investigated.
The eviction was executed under a Drug Closure Order granted by Highbury Corner Magistrates.
It was issued after numerous complaints about “constant streams of visitors” to the address, fights between groups of youths outside the property all through the night, shouting and abusive language and open drug dealing on the street.”
A council spokeswoman said: “The judge granted a Drug Closure Order for three months on the grounds that it was necessary to prevent a reoccurrence of the nuisance.”
Prior to the raid and court order he encouraged a number of residents to keep diaries of the comings and goings at the house.
Sergeant Graham Cushway, head of Mildmay Safer Neighbourhoods Team, said: “We had an excellent response from neighbours and we were extremely careful that this was all done in confidence and no one was named in court.”
One neighbour, Helen Wickham, a 39-year-old television director, said: “There were always teenagers hanging around outside and someone was attacked a few weeks ago down the road.
“There was a lot of noise but we never saw anything awful, they were all young kids and I didn’t see any drugs.”
The raid was carried out by the police and Islington Council officers working under the Safer Islington Partnership.
Ms Buckley was referred to the council’s emergency housing team to be re-housed.
Councillor Marisha Ray, Islington’s community safety chief, said: “We will do everything we can to prevent a spiral of decline in any part of Islington by stopping dealers from taking over residential homes.”
Chief Inspector Jane Johnson said: “Our actions should be seen as a clear indication that we will not tolerate drug use or dealing. When premises associated with drugs are identified we will act swiftly to permenantly close them”

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