TWO nuisance neighbours in Dudley have been slapped with injunctions for making the lives of nearby residents a misery.

Problem council tenants Stuart Johnson, aged 43, of Osprey Drive, and Michael Oakley, aged 71, of Falcon Way, were given the anti-social behaviour injunctions for ongoing nuisance to neighbours and the community.

The pair have used threatening behaviour towards residents, which had previously led to a conviction for Johnson.

They have also angered residents with continual noise nuisance and drunken behaviour.

People living near to them had suffered for a number of months, Dudley Council chiefs say, and after failed attempts to resolve the problem the authority's ASB team applied for an immediate injunction at Dudley County Court.

An order was initially granted on November 16 on an interim basis then confirmed on November 29 and it will remain in place for 12 months.

Councillor Gaye Partridge, Dudley's cabinet member for housing, said: "Our ASB team work closely with residents to address the behaviour of the minority of tenants who choose to behave in this aggressive, disrespectful fashion.

"While we will always try to address issues like this through discussion and mediation, we will not hesitate to take legal action against those people who do not treat their neighbours with the respect they deserve.

"We will continue to support our tenants who have worked so closely with us to help issue this injunction and I hope this serves as a warning to others that we will not tolerate this kind of anti-social behaviour in our communities.”

The injunctions are designed to prevent further threatening behaviour and nuisance.

In addition, the orders prevent them accessing each other’s property and housing blocks, with exclusion zones for each covering Osprey Drive and Falcon Way.

If Johnson or Oakley use or threaten to use violence towards any resident they can be arrested and brought back before the court.

If found guilty of breaching an injunction they could face jail for up to two years, a fine or both.

Anyone who experiences anti-social behaviour from either of Johnson or Oakley is asked to inform the ASB team on 01384 818344 or if the behaviour is of a threatening nature to call police on 101 - or 999 if immediate assistance is needed.