Illegal mobile home site raided
A YARD, illegally converted to a mobile park home site, has been closed after stolen vehicles and goods from local burglaries, drugs and a stun gun were found on its premises.
Nottinghamshire Police said that Rushcliffe Borough Council secured a closure order for The Storage Yard on Rempstone Road in Sutton Bonington at Nottingham Magistrates’ Court on February 19.
A spokesperson for the police said: “The closure order was sought following a raid of the premises by the police on February 14 which resulted in four arrests as well as the discovery of unsafe and unhygienic living conditions.
“The arrests included two women, aged 43 and 30, and two men, aged 37 and 29.
They have since been bailed pending further enquiries.
“Heroin, crack cocaine and cannabis and a cutting agent were discovered, considered consistent with an intent to supply the drugs and the remnants of cannabis growing facilities together with an overbearing smell of the drug when officers visited the site.
“Stolen items identified from local domestic and non-domestic burglaries included two cars, a motorbike, three petrol lawn mowers, various garden machinery, a bicycle and fraudulent bank cards.
“Some of the stolen items were associated with burglaries in the area and have now been returned to their rightful owners.
“The stun gun when discovered was disguised as a lighter and will now be treated as a firearms offence.
“Hairdressing equipment stolen from a Rushcliffe-based hairdressers had also been used to set up a makeshift salon in one of the caravans on site.
“Three dogs were identified as belonging to the individuals, allowed to defecate and urinate within caravans. Several hundred asthma inhalers were also found strewn over the fence on to neighbouring property.
“The council quickly applied for the Closure Order which they enforced from 12pm on February 20 having consulted the relevant partner agencies including social services.
“It had previously issued a temporary stop notice in October 2019 to cease the site as a place for residential accommodation after it discovered individuals living among six caravans, having been converted to a mobile park home site from its previous use as storage for fairground rides.
“This temporary stop notice was not complied with and the number of caravans on the site increased to 12.
“The yard is now closed for three months with anyone residing on the site signposted to methods to find alternative accommodation. Any individual entering the site is liable on conviction to up to 51 weeks imprisonment.”
Rushcliffe Borough Council’s cabinet portfolio holder for environment and safety, Coun Rob Inglis, said: “This is an excellent result of partnership working between Rushcliffe’s environmental health and legal teams and the Police. Hopefully this will be successful in disrupting criminal behaviour in the area.
“The conditions found for families and children were horrific including some who were completely innocent parties renting caravans above market price to live in true squalor and danger.
“Stolen items have in some cases been reunited with their owners and we will work with partners to assist wherever possible with any ongoing investigations.”
Inspector Craig Berry, of Nottinghamshire Police, added: “We carried out a search warrant based on community intelligence which resulted in four arrests and a lot of stolen property being recovered.
“There were concerns about the purpose of the site and the conditions that we found when we searched it, so we worked with the Community Safety Team and solicitors at Rushcliffe Borough Council to look at further legal powers available to control future criminal behaviour and anti-social behaviour at the site.”