A NUISANCE Dudley council tenant has been turned out of her property after plaguing neighbours with anti-social behaviour.

Dudley Council and West Midlands Police received numerous and persistent complaints of nuisance behaviour and drug taking and dealing at the council home in Oak Street, Netherton, between 2019 and 2022, with residents in the street left living in fear, alarm and distress.

The property, rented by Elaine Lewis, had been under a partial closure order since March 16, which allowed her and her sons to stay in the home but prohibited anyone else from entering.

The order, however, was persistently breached - with visitors attending daily and anti-social behaviour continuing to plague residents in the area.

But on May 16, Dudley Council was granted a full closure order by magistrates at Walsall Magistrates' Court which prevents Lewis and her adult sons from entering the property for another 32 days - until June 16, 2022.

Lewis, aged 49, was also ordered to pay £1,134 in costs to Dudley Council.

Councillor Laura Taylor-Childs, the council's cabinet member responsible for housing and communities, said: “Implementing a full closure order is a serious undertaking and something we only feel the need to pursue with the most troublesome of tenants.

"Ms Lewis had made life unbearable for her neighbours and we were forced to take this action, with the full support of the police."

She added: “It’s important that people feel safe in their communities and we will not sit by and let people live in fear. We take anti-social behaviour incredibly seriously and will not baulk at taking this kind of action in extreme cases.”

Council chiefs say they will monitor the situation and consider applying for an extension to the order as well as pursuing a county court action to end the tenancy.