Two trouble-causers banned from Derbyshire village after council crackdown on illegal waste site problems

North East Derbyshire District Council and Derbyshire Constabulary initially secured two Closure Orders in August relating to the two illegal waste sites in West Handley and Ridgeway after over a year of reports of anti-social behaviour problems including intimidation, criminal damage and noise nuisance.

Following this enforcement action, the council also made successful, civil injunction applications against individuals who had been engaged in anti-social behaviour and two individuals have now successfully been banned from West Handley for 12 months.

North East Derbyshire District Council Leader, Cllr Nigel Barker, said: “I cannot thank our officers enough for the work they have put in to secure these injunctions.

“We made a commitment as an administration to come down hard on those participating in anti-social behaviour and this successful outcome shows our commitment to delivering this.”

The applications were heard before His Honour Judge Owen at Chesterfield County Court, at the Chesterfield Justice Centre, on Tapton Lane, over two days in September, and he found the council’s witnesses “credible and honest” and he accepted all their evidence in relation to anti-social behaviour caused at West Handley and Ridgeway.

Judge Owen also praised concerned residents as “brave” after he had heard their evidence which he deemed to be credible.

The court ordered that the two individuals who were considered to be responsible for anti-social behaviour are to be excluded from West Handley village for 12 months.

A power of arrest was also attached to this exclusion, meaning that if the two individuals breach the terms of their bans the police can arrest them and they can be committed to prison for up to two years.

And a further injunction order and power of arrest was also made in respect of a third individual who is, however, still allowed to enter the village, according to NE Derbyshire District Council.

The original site Closure Orders were previously granted at a hearing at Chesterfield magistrates’ court on August 30 and were given for the maximum of three months.

Investigators had previously imposed 48-hour Closure Notices at the sites on August 15 when the council had formally executed warrants to gain access with bailiffs, police and the Environment Agency to investigate suspected unlawful waste activities.

Twelve vehicles were seized from the sites for suspected criminal waste offences and dogs were also seized due to the impact their barking had been having on residents.

The council originally issued public notices stating it had carried out the seizure of six vehicles on August 15 at the site of the former Pople Nursery, on Main Road, in West Handley, between New Whittington, in Chesterfield, and the Marsh Lane area.

It also carried out further enforcement action seizing six more vehicles from an address on High Lane, in Ridgeway, Derbyshire, under the same waste control regulations on the same day.

Derbyshire police has stated it understands the impact these types of reported behaviour can have on communities and it had worked with the council to address concerns and ensure safety.

NE Derbyshire MP Lee Rowley stated that he had been working with councillors to address issues in West Handley.

The Chesterfield magistrates’ court Closure Orders’ hearing had also heard how residents had been subject to intimidation, criminal damage, noise nuisance and general anti-social behaviour from those operating the sites over the last year.

The subsequent injunction applications at Chesterfield County Court were made under the Anti-social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act as a civil action to provide protection for communities and to outline an expected standard of behaviour and to prevent any future poor behaviour from escalating.

Cllr Barker added: “Thanks to all our partners who were involved for many months behind the scenes and [to] the residents of West Handley who have been involved with this case.”