West Leigh flat closed for three months by Portsmouth magistrates

Portsmouth magistrates ordered shut flat 74 in Solent House, Swarraton Road, West Leigh, earlier this month.

The three-month order was sought by police following the assault of a 22-year-old man on July 16, Hampshire police said.

A spokeswoman said: ‘The local Neighbourhood Policing Team applied for a partial closure order on an address in Solent House, Swarraton Road... to prevent a group of people involved in criminal activity gathering there.’

Court records show proceedings were taken out in the name of Michelle Labacik.

Magistrates granted the other as they were ‘satisfied that disorderly, offensive or criminal behaviour which is a serious nuisance to the public is being carried out at the premises’.

Anyone breaching the order by entering the property is committing a criminal offence.

They could be jailed for up to 51 weeks or fined.

Hampshire police are using closure orders in a bid to fight unruly behaviour and drug-related problems.

Magistrates can grant the closure order after police serve residents with a closure notice.

Closure order powers came into force in 2014, have been used several times in Hampshire since.

They have been used to deter drug dealers taking over people’s homes in cuckooing, preventing violent criminals returning.