Neighbours On Brighton Estate Fear Violence As Anti-Social Behaviour Escalates

Violent drug dealers and addicts on an estate in Brighton have left residents so fearful that some said they were too afraid to go to a community meeting.

Those who went along said that they had suffered violent attacks and intimidation on the Craven Vale estate and felt unsafe even in their own homes.

There had been a recent escalation of threats and violence, they told representatives of Sussex Police and Brighton and Hove City Council.

They urged the police and council to do more to maintain order and public safety at a meeting on the estate yesterday (Wednesday 12 October).

And they also said that one nightmare neighbour – the person causing the greatest fear – was walking around behind the community centre during the meeting, wearing a mask, despite the police presence.

Neighbours said that he is believed to carry a knife at all times.

They also said that while one person is causing many of the current problems, at least seven other blocks of flats were affected by drug use and anti-social behaviour.

And they asked why drug dealers and addicts were being housed on the estate.

One resident said:

“Imagine sitting in your flat right now and not wanting to go out to where there’s loads of people, including the police.

“These people don’t want to leave home for the safety of the police because they’re that scared of him. That’s absolutely disgusting.”

Police and council officials were told that drug dealers were seen coming and going from the flat where their nightmare neighbour lived.

Residents said that he had smashed other neighbours’ windows with bricks and kicked in front doors and tried to break through others using screwdrivers and hammers. He destroyed his own front door by sawing it in half.

At one point, he was seen holding a large knife and stabbing a hedge, saying: “I’m going to cut you all up.”

On another occasion, a 999 operator heard air rifle pellets ricochet around the estate as he fired shots at passers-by.

The meeting was told that when the police arrived, they were attacked and had to call for reinforcements. Craven Vale was “lit up blue” with police lights in response.

After the shooting incident, while the nightmare neighbour was on remand, one resident said that the estate had a different atmosphere. Many older people felt comfortable leaving their home for a walk.

The nightmare neighbour was said to have support for problems with his mental health but had the “capacity” to make decisions and was unlikely to be sectioned under the Mental Health Act, the meeting was told.

A resident said:

“You cannot use mental health as an excuse to hold an entire estate to ransom and make everyone else’s life an absolute misery.”

The same resident added:

“I was in tears one day over what’s going on. I’m at the point where I’m petrified to go out.

“This is where we live. This isn’t the city centre. It’s our homes. When I come home and I close my front door, I want to be safe.”

Another neighbour said:

“We shouldn’t have to live like this. I shouldn’t have to put up with this. I love it around here but I’m frightened to go out.”

Craven Vale residents said that police officers had told them that their nightmare neighbour was “well known” to police.

A petition signed by 75 people was presented to the council’s assistant director for housing needs and supply, Paul Cooper, asking for action.

The petitioners urged the council to use the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014 to issue criminal behaviour orders and closure notices in the way that the law was intended – and community protection notices to tackle the anti-social behaviour.

Thy were told that, currently, the council only used these orders to deal with people in temporary housing, not those with full tenancies.

Mr Cooper said that the council and police were in the process of seeking a closure order from magistrates’ court and moving the nightmare neighbour elsewhere.

Council records showed that the anti-social tenant had lived in temporary housing for four years without complaint.

Mr Cooper said:

“It sounds terrible. From what I’ve heard, I think residents have shown incredible bravery and resilience. Even now, you’re calm, and I imagine you want to be screaming.

“We’re looking at the quickest way to take action (and) a closure order is the quickest way to get an outcome.”

And he said that alternative housing was available.

Labour councillor Gill Williams attended the meeting remotely. She said:

“Councillor (Nancy) Platts and myself have been flagging up disturbing incidences that have been impacting the residents of Craven Vale for some time.

“It is wholly unacceptable that this lovely community are enduring fear and trauma.”

Police advised residents to ring 999 if they felt that they were in danger.