UPDATE: Closure order is carried out at Newport house over anti-social behaviour

Gwent Police officers oversaw 30 John Ireland Close, in Alway being boarded up after a family of 11 were ordered out of their home for three months by Cwmbran Magistrates yesterday.

The Anti Social Behaviour closure order was made against the McDonagh family, who moved to the street in January this year, after complaints were made by neighbours.

Officers had attempted to remove the family from the property last night but withdrew in a bid to keep the peace.

When attending the four-bedroom house this morning, officers found the family had vacated the premises over night.

PC Simon Richens, Crime and Disorder Reduction Officer, said: "Extended members of the McDonagh family had also turned up at the property causing a severe threat to members of the public as well as police officers trying to enforce the closure order.

"To prevent further disorder it was decided that officers would withdraw from the address. Police attended the property this morning to find it completely empty."

PC Richens added that there will be additional foot patrols over the coming days in the area to provide re-assurance to John Ireland Close residents.

Barrister James Lewis, on behalf of Gwent Police, told Cwmbran Magistrates Court yesterday that officers have regularly attended the address over the last 10 months in relation to complaints of nuisance, shouting, swearing, dogs, parking of vehicles and the observing of residents.

Complaints were also made that the McDonagh family would drive dangerously at high speeds in the Close and that verbal threats had been made to other residents.

Anne McDonagh, lead tenant at the property, denied all the allegations made against her in court yesterday and said her neighbours were "telling lies" about her.

A FAMILY of 11 have been ordered out of their Newport home for three months after a court heard their anti-social behaviour "destroyed" the street they live on.

Cwmbran Magistrates granted an Anti Social Behaviour closure order of 30 John Ireland Close, in Alway, yesterday after residents complained about the family that rents it.

Occupants will be committing a crime and could face imprisonment if they go into the property over the next three months.

Eight different residents of John Ireland Close made complaints about the McDonagh family, who moved into the property in January this year, the court heard.

Barrister James Lewis, on behalf of Gwent Police, told Cwmbran Magistrates Court yesterday that officers have regularly attended the address over the last 10 months in relation to complaints of nuisance, shouting, swearing, dogs, parking of vehicles and the observing of residents.

Complaints were also made that the McDonagh family would drive dangerously at high speeds in the close and would purposefully attempt to swerve into each other.

One resident said she had been sleeping in a back bedroom for three months, to avoid being woken up by shouting and swearing in the street.

Complaints were also that the family had verbally threatened other residents.

Anne McDonagh, lead tenant at the property, denied all the allegations made against her in court yesterday and said her neighbours were "telling lies" about her.

Police and officers at Newport City Council last month served an Acceptable Behaviour contract to Mrs McDonagh in a bid to encourage her to change the family's behaviour.

The 49-year-old refused to sign the contract, claiming she was told not to by a member of her family.

Mrs McDonagh, visibly upset, told magistrates: "I hate that street, I hate the people in that street. They're telling lies about me. I didn't do anything in that neighbourhood."

A statement by PCSO Elizabeth Memory was read aloud in court which said that none of the family had "accepted their behaviour and insisted that the neighbours were against them because they were travellers."

She added: "Residents who have lived there for three decades said the street had been totally destroyed by the McDonagh family and they want to move because of them."

Inspector Simon Richens said after the hearing: "The police use closure orders as a last resort. We've tried working with the family in regard to their behaviour and they have refused to accept that help and they have refused to sign the Acceptable Behaviour contract.

"Their behaviour continued to a point that one of the officers was approached numerous times by residents saying they can't go on like that. We had residents say they want to leave and some had installed their own CCTV."