Last updated 11:20, Tuesday, 26 August 2008

WHITEHAVEN County Court has heard how a tenant terrorised his neighbours.

Pc Lynn-Marie Welch with the disturbing hanging effigy left behind by Adams

And when police went to clear the property they found a disturbing effigy left hanging in the flat.

Raymond Adams, of Trinity Court, Northside, Workington had been living at the Derwent and Solway flat since March.

But after violent disputes in his flat, and causing distress to residents, housing bosses stepped in and took the case to Whitehaven County Court.

The court was told how Adams, 46, had persistently ignored instructions to improve his behaviour in and out of his flat after police were called a number of times.

He has also been involved in several violent disputes at the property and upset several elderly residents. Adams has also been arrested for various other criminal offences.

Housing officers served him with an interim injunction in June from Whitehaven County Court when he was told to leave his property.

But he was granted a two-week period to find alternative accommodation. But housing bosses said that when this time was up he refused to leave and continued his anti-social behaviour.

Yesterday three police officers, three housing officers and a court appointed bailiff went to the property. Police used a battering ram to break down the door. The first-floor flat was empty, but police officers served the notice, while housing officers made an inventory of what was in the flat and started clearing it up.

Police found used needles, drugs paraphenalia, dozens of bags of rubbish, graffiti on the walls and a radiator that had been pulled from the wall.

Robert Porter, Director of Derwent & Solway Housing Association said of the eviction: "We have been left with no choice than to evict this resident from the property following continued efforts on our part to provide him with the opportunity to improve his behaviour.

"We are confident that in taking such action against this kind of conduct, our residents understand that we endeavour to provide them with safe and secure neighbourhoods at all times."