A neighbour from hell has become the first person in Britain to be slapped with an ASBO which bans him from dumping rubbish after he littered resident’s gardens for SEVEN years.
Prolific litter lout John McFarlane, 43, piled up hundreds of black bags of waste around his neighbourhood – often dumping 20 bulging bin liners at a time.
If his long-suffering neighbours ever challenged him, McFarlane responded with a tirade of abuse including swearing, threatening, and even spitting at people.
Jobless McFarlane, of Kings Heath, Birmingham, has now been slapped with a two year anti-social behaviour injunction which bans him from dumping rubbish in the communal areas of the flats, in the gardens or in the surrounding streets.
Although injunctions have been given against rubbish collectors previously McFarlane is the first person in Britain to be hit with an order for persistent dumping of waste.
The order means McFarlane is also banned from threatening neighbours by shouting, screaming or playing loud music.
Birmingham City Council had sent McFarlane numerous written and verbal warnings about the breaches of his conditions of tenancy and his anti-social behaviour.
One neighbour said: “He has made our lives a total misery.
“He was dumping stuff in the hallways, the gardens, and the streets. If you challenged him he swore and threatened you and I know he even spat at one man who tried to speak to him.
“As well as rubbish there has been abuse and loud music that has been played well into the early hours.
“It’s good that they have finally taken some action, I just hope that it is now enforced if people report breaches of the court order.
“I was not even aware that the order had been issued until last week.”
Resident William Barlow, 50, added: “McFarlane took some pride in being the ultimate litter lout. He made everyone’s lives a misery so it’s good the council have at last taken action.
“Whether it does any good or not is another matter. He’s a sad loser who gets off on upsetting other people. It’s a pity the council doesn’t evict him.”
Karen Osborne, chair of the Brandwood Residents Forum, said: “The issue of rubbish dumping at the flats opposite the hub community centre has been ongoing for more than seven years and is one of the reasons that the forum was formed in the first place more than 18 months ago.
“We have been documenting the rubbish dumping with photographs.
“At its height the council would come along with a rubbish hit squad and remove more than 20 bags, but within an hour even more of them were back out underneath the sign that says welcome to Stirchley.
“I think the housing team and environmental officers who searched through all of this rubbish to track down those responsible should be commended.
“This action sends out a message that needs to be sent out.
“The council resources are being seriously stretched at the moment and the authority just does not have the ability to go out and clean up irresponsible people like this.”
Councillor James Mckay, cabinet member for a green, safe and smart city, said: “We will take firm action against any of of our tenants who breach their tenancy conditions in this manner indeed any citizens who dump rubbish causing distress and upset to other residents in the area.
“I thank the officers within housing and environmental services for their hard work on this case.”
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