Chesterfield councillor calls for action after being 'threatened' by 'aggressive' youths near old courthouse

Lib Dem councillor for Brockwell, Ed Fordham, is now calling for the old courthouse to be made a 'priority' to stop it from being a 'vandalism playground'.

We have previously reported how the former court has been used as a drugs den

Last year Chesterfield Borough Council granted planning permission for the court to be turned into new apartments

Coun Fordham said there was about 12 youths in the area and he was approached in a 'threatening and aggressive way' by the group.

"I tonight rang the police emergency 999 reporting that there was a group of youths seeking to break into the magistrates' court, in West Bars, Chesterfield," he wrote on Facebook.

"I rang 999 again saying that having chased them off they had returned as a large group and were approaching me in a threatening and aggressive way.

"I eventually retreated, tweeted out my situation to provide some personal safety for myself and then decided to leave. I went to a ward meeting with a community group - but have not had any kind of contact from the police, despite reporting that I was being approached in a threatening way by the group of about 12 - 9 male and 3 female.

"I took pictures and a video of them fleeing and attacking the magistrates' court. These can be available to the police but they have not been asked for.

"I am home and fine but a little shaken up. It is clear that the magistrates' court needs to be actioned as a priority for the council to achieve itself as a housing site and not a vandalism playground. Letting it sit and rot and playing a waiting game for the hope of a planning application for housing has done the town no good at all. We need to act and tackle buildings like this and police response and care needs to improve."