Landlord jailed following Barnsley Council prosecution for illegal eviction

A LANDLORD is beginning a three-month prison sentence after pleading guilty at Sheffield Crown Court to evicting illegally a Barnsley family from their rented home.

Stephen Brook, (53), a partner in Dewsbury-based Investment Properties, pleaded guilty to the offence, contrary to the Protection from Eviction Act 1977.

The prosecution of Brook, of Woodkirk, Dewsbury, was brought by the council following complaints made to its Homelessness section by two households in the borough. The prosecution related to an illegal eviction in September last year in the Wombwell area.

On 26 November this year Judge Moore was told that the locks to the property had been changed while the tenants were out. Requests by them to Brook to be allowed to return to their home were ignored. The tenants contacted the council and, when told that his actions were unlawful, Brook replied that he ‘did not do legal evictions’.

In mitigation, Brook told the court he knew he had acted contrary to the law and that his actions were complete madness.

In sentencing Brook, the Judge ordered him to pay a contribution of £1,000 towards the council’s costs.

Cllr Jenny Platts, Cabinet spokesperson for Adult Social Services, said: “Where there are allegations that a landlord is harassing tenants or evicting them unlawfully from their homes the council has a duty to investigate these allegations. If the evidence confirms the landlord has acted unlawfully, and initial attempts to resolve the matter are not successful, we will pursue a prosecution of the landlord under the relevant legislation.”

ENDS