A 46 year old woman has been sentenced to up to 4 months in prison for entering the Broadfield estate in Leyland. Deborah Whittle, of no fixed abode, was banned from the estate under the terms of an Anti-Social Behaviour Injunction (ASBI) awarded against her in April 2012.
New Progress Housing Association obtained the injunction against Whittle after residents reported drunken and threatening disturbances.
Whittle was arrested on 23rd October after she breached her injunction for a fourth time; Whittle breached her ASBI three times by entering the exclusion zone on the Broadfield estate and for a fourth time by stealing wine from a local supermarket.
At Preston County Court, Whittle admitted to the breaches. Upon sentencing, District Judge Michael Turner said: “It is a matter of regret that little apparent progress has been made regarding the Defendant and I consider the theft of alcohol an aggravated feature of the breach of the ASBI.”
Gary Melia, Deputy Managing Director of New Progress Housing Association, said: “This type of behaviour will not be tolerated and we are sending out a clear message that breaches of Anti-Social Behaviour Injunctions are taken very seriously and can result in prison sentences being awarded to those who behave inappropriately on our estates. Residents have a right to live in their homes peacefully and we will always take positive action against those intent on disrupting our communities.
“This result, which I hope will come as a relief to residents, has been made possible through working in partnership with agencies such as the neighbourhood policing teams.”
The injunction, which lasts until 2 April 2014, sets out several conditions aimed at curbing the anti-social behaviour of Whittle. It forbids Whittle from:
entering the Broadfield estate in Leyland
causing harassment, alarm or distress to any person
using violence or encouraging others to use violence
inciting or encouraging others to engage in anti-social behaviour
For further information on New Progress Housing Association visit: www.progressgroup.org.uk/newprogress
