Council aims to stop jailed tenants returning to their homes

The council has announced that it is set to take tough action against members of a Roehampton-based drug dealing syndicate many of whom who were given lengthy jail terms last week.

In total 14 people were given prison terms for their involvement in the drugs trade. Nine were residing in council-owned properties when they committed these offences and the council will now be investigating what steps it can take to ensure they do not return to these homes when they are released from custody.

Housing spokesman Cllr Paul Ellis said: “These people have committed very serious offences and brought misery and criminality to their neighbourhoods. We will now be looking at what we can do to prevent them doing anything similar in future.

“We will be exploring the potential legal action we may be able to take to ensure that when they are released from prison they are not able to come back and live in council-owned accommodation anywhere in Wandsworth.

“By choosing to deal drugs in the area they have put at risk any rights they may have had to live in one of the borough’s council-owned properties. We will be doing all we can to prevent these criminals from living on our estates again. This is precisely what our tenants and leaseholders would expect from us.”

Cllr Ellis also paid tribute to the police officers who had brought the gang to justice. He added: “All the officers involved in this lengthy and important investigation deserve the fullest thanks and praise from the community. They have successfully taken a gang of criminals off the streets and we are very grateful to them for that.”

The police investigation – codenamed Operation Noome – targeted those involved with the distribution of class A drugs including heroin, cocaine and crack in and around the Roehampton area.

Nine of the gang are now set to face the threat of eviction proceedings on the grounds that they have breached their tenancy conditions. Action is also expected against a tenth gang member who is in breach of his lease agreement with the council.

The defendants who could now face eviction proceedings are Mohammed Abubaker, aged 23 of Holmsley House in Tangley Grove, Roehampton, who was jailed for 30 months; Anthony Duhur, aged 23 of Huntingfield Road, Putney, who was sentenced to two years; Kwesi Williams, aged 18 of Swanwick Close, Roehampton, jailed for 18 months; Nicholas Kraszewski, 19 from Winchfield House in Highcliffe Drive, Roehampton, jailed for 40 months; Islam Mahmoud, aged 25 of Woking Close, Putney, who was given a five year sentence; Ama Mohammed, 25, of Sherfield Gardens, Roehampton, jailed for 40 months; Paul Nembhard, aged 47, of Charcot House, Highcliffe Drive, Roehampton, who was given a 12 month sentence, suspended for two 2 years; Oliver Easy, 22 of Chobham Gardens, Southfields, jailed for 12 months and Leoni Easy aged 25 of Overton House in Tangley Grove, Roehampton, who was ordered to carry out 180 hours of unpaid community service.

Twenty six-year-old Victor Brandao of Denmead House in Highcliffe Drive, Roehampton, is also likely to face legal action for breaching the terms of his lease. He was jailed for 40 months.

The other defendants were Neville Hoffman, aged 43 from Deptford, who was jailed for three years; Daniel Martin, aged 56, from Curtisfield Way, Streatham, imprisoned for 40 months; Adam Broom, 24 of Upper Richmond Road, Putney, sentenced to 18 months; Myan Mohammed, aged 21 of no fixed abode, who received a 42 month sentence and 24-year-old Joseph Williams of Allfarthing Lane, Wandsworth who was given 46 month in prison.

October 3, 2014