A YOUNG woman dubbed a 'neighbour from hell' has been evicted from her flat after magistrates granted a closure order.
Shantelle Bennett, 24, blighted the lives of those who had to put up with her loud music and anti-social behaviour over a sustained period.
Evidence of drug dealing and assaults linked to her flat in Rydal Mews, Exwick, were also heard by magistrates who granted a three month closure order after a full day hearing.
After the hearing her flat was bordered up. The court heard several examples of when police were called to the property.
Several tactics were used to try and solve the issues and she had been served with a noise abatement notice and had her stereo seized.
But the court heard she had snubbed all efforts to improve the situation and problems and complaints continued. One neighbour said it had been a living nightmare.
She told the court: "I cannot sleep and my little boy is struggling at school and with his exams because of all of this.
"It is so loud it has blown my spotlights numerous times."
Her partner added: "It keeps us up all night. I have got to have sleep to do my job properly."
The other tenant who was served with the notice, Joshua Cole, was not part of proceedings as he was no longer living in the flat and did not object to the closure order.
Chris Rendell, of Devon and Cornwall Police, said: "There have been numerous examples of excessive nose and loud parties and numerous interventions have been tried.
"All the warnings and efforts seem to have gone unheeded. She was convicted of breaching the abatement notice and even after that there were still further noise complaints."
PC Mark Arthurs, neighbourhood beat manager for Exwick said: "The behaviour of Ms Bennett and the persons visiting has caused a persistent nuisance to neighbours and others in the community. This is our last resort in solving the problems we have been having."
Lloyd Hall, housing officer at Sovereign Housing, said it held several meetings with Ms Bennett but she had failed to comply to previous orders and attempts to solve the problems.
Representing Ms Bennett, Stephen Nunn said he did not dispute the anti-social behaviour associated to the premises. But he argued the proceedings were "invalid" as they did not satisfy the statutory criteria of Home Office guidelines.
