Pubdate: Mon, 08 Nov 2004
Source: Sheffield Star (UK)
Contact:  Sheffield Newspapers 2004
Website: http://www.sheffweb.co.uk/
Details: http://www.mapinc.org/media/413
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/find?207 (Cannabis - United Kingdom)
Bookmark: http://www.mapinc.org/youth.htm (Youth)

CANNABIS KIDS IN EVICTION ROW

PARENTS of youths found smoking cannabis could face losing their council 
homes, police have told a community.

Pc Andy Thompson told a public meeting that drug-fuelled misbehaviour by 
kids could rebound on their parents to such a degree that the whole family 
could be evicted.

Today, though, senior council officials, politicians and drugs workers said 
the threat, against parents in the Penistone area, was "out of all 
proportion and wrong".

Eight teenagers were found in a "highly intoxicated" state in the waiting 
room at Penistone railway station by community constable Pc Thompson Two 
face possible action for being in possession of cannabis and all eight have 
been sent warning letters about anti-social behaviour. Most of the eight 
live in council houses in the area and police have written to Barnsley 
Council about their misbehaviour. Pc Thompson told an area forum meeting: 
"It is up to the council what action they are going to take, but an option 
is to evict these tenants. It is a possibility that the parents of these 
youths who live in council houses face losing their tenancies because of 
what their sons have been doing." But the man responsible for taking 
eviction action against nuisance tenants in Barnsley, Paul Brannan, today 
said the policeman was wrong and no such action will be taken.

"We will - and we do - take action against tenants whose behaviour causes 
fear, alarm or distress to others," he said. "If people are using drugs in 
or around their home and their behaviour causes a nuisance to other 
residents we have a responsibility to act and we will do so. "However, on 
this occasion taking action to evict their parents would not be appropriate 
and would not be proportional to the misbehaviour. "There are many ways to 
deal with nuisance youths under the new anti-social behaviour legislation.

"However I would stress tenants who indulge in anti-social behaviour 
causing a real nuisance to their neighbours can and will face eviction." 
Barnsley West and Penistone MP, Mick Clapham, said: "I do not condone the 
smoking of cannabis. But to suggest that these parents could be evicted 
because of what their sons did in this situation is wrong."
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MAP posted-by: Terry Liittschwager