A DRUG den in Northwich has become the first in Cheshire to be shut down in a landmark court decision.

Marie Seddon, who had lived at number one Waterbank Row, was in court on Friday to hear Vale Royal Magistrates grant the county's first house closure order after the court was told how crime in the area surrounding the property had rocketed since Seddon moved there in 2002.

The court was told the house became a centre for drug dealing and anti-social behaviour, but now an order placed on the property means anyone entering it within the next three months could be jailed.

Siôn Ap Mihangel, prosecuting on behalf of the chief constable, told the court the police had carried out lengthy surveillance on the drug-use and associated activities going on at the property before they went to court. He said: 'This application has been made to the courts as part of some new police powers which have come in under the Anti Social Behaviour Act 2003. The lady who lives at this address is Marie Ann Seddon who is 39, she has 15 relevant previous convictions for 28 offences which includes possession with intent to supply class A drugs.

'The case against her is that we have reasonable suspicion class A drugs had been supplied and used at the premises. There is also evidence there is an increase in the levels of crime since she moved into the area.

'Some evidence of this includes guests arriving at the property at all hours shouting to attract attention. There were some families woken up at three o'clock in the morning as a result of people shouting and arguing in the street. There is even evidence of an assault on the respondent herself. There were an average of 10 visitors a day to the property and sometimes up to 30, which is a lot considering there were only 16 other properties on the street. As a result of the activities there was a knock on effect on the community, there were vehicles being damaged and CCTV cameras had to be installed.'

PC Steve Huxley, who gave evidence at the hearing, told the court police had spoken to six residents who lived in the vicinity of Seddon's property who all said they had been affected by the disturbances.'

He said: 'We have collected six state-ments from anonymous residents on the street about the goings on at the property and we also have details of the increase in crime since she moved into the property in

2002. The year of her arrival saw crime dramatically increase, and if it were to keep going at the current rate, the increase in 2004 would exceed the crime level in 2003. These crimes are such things as thefts from gardens or vehicle crime, public order offences.

'From making contact with the residents it seems that a lot are worried about threats and are intimidated and are worried about the fear of reprisals, which is why they have not given out names. The general consensus is that since she moved in their quality of life has decreased dramatically. There are a lot of residents saying they had been woken in the evening and there have been incidents reported of people climbing into back gardens to try to get and get to her house.

'A police raid was carried out at the property at the end on June, and a number of items associated with drug-use were found there, such as syringes, I very strongly believe the house is being used for the taking of class A drugs and from speaking to residents it is a major disruption to their lives.'

Seddon had asked the court for an adjournment to the case as she said she had spoken to neighbours in the street who were willing to say there had been no problems, however, the court rejected her application and closed the property.

If anyone now enters the house over the next three months they are liable to be arrested.