2:17pm Thursday 2nd October 2008
By Harry Miller
A woman has been served with an Asbo for tormenting her neighbours day and night.
Lisa Gowers, 37, repeatedly flooded the resident below her and played loud music at all times of the day.
She is the first person to be served with and antisocial behaviour order thanks to the council’s pollution team.
On one occasion Gowers, of Balfour Road, South Norwood, rammed more than 50 sanitary products into her toilet to block it, causing chaos in the building.
She regularly shouted abuse through the floorboards, threw plant pots out of her window and furniture down the stairs.
The campaign of harassment started last year when Ms Gowers’ female neighbour complained about her antisocial behaviour to the council’s pollution team.
After evidence was gathered by the team and the Woodside safer neighbourhood team, an interim ASBO was served on Ms Gowers in May this year, which she immediately breached by throwing the papers out of the window.
She then failed to turn up at Croydon Magistrates’ Court in August when a full order was granted, which prevented her from deliberately flooding her property, playing loud music and stamping on the floor, throwing objects from her home, threatening or abusing anyone physically or verbally, and entering certain roads in the Woodside area.
If she breaks the terms of the Asbo she faces prison and the possibility of a £5,000 fine.
Councillor Steve O’Connell, cabinet member for safety and cohesion, said: “We take a tough line with any resident involved in antisocial behaviour.
“Everyone has a right to live peacefully and those who abuse that right can expect to be dealt with swiftly.
“The message is clear – law abiding residents and the council are not prepared to put up with such levels of antisocial behaviour. Those who either cause or allow aggressive and threatening behaviour will face the toughest sanctions.”
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