DEVIZES woman Jennifer Mary Hillier has been evicted from her home in Charles Morrison Close because of her continued anti-social behaviour.

The 52-year-old’s actions made life unbearable for her neighbours and she was finally evicted by Sovereign Housing Association on January 29 after being granted a possession order by Chippenham and Trowbridge County Court last November.

She also received an exclusion order, meaning she can be arrested if she returns to the street.

Sovereign said they first received reports of her nuisance behaviour in March last year when, apparently drunk, she would stand in the street, shouting and screaming.

Parents refused to let their children play in the gardens because of her offensive language. Concerns were also raised about a worrying number of rats, largely caused by Hillier leaving large amounts of food waste in her garden.

In May last year Sovereign applied for an injunction order against her and she made an undertaking to the court not to engage in certain behaviours. However, she broke the terms of this agreement within 48 hours.

She was given a seven-day jail term in August and, within a month of being released, was arrested again for her behaviour and sentenced to 35 days in prison.

Louise Borzoni, Sovereign’s anti-social behaviour officer, said they had involved mental health and alcohol support services but Hillier had refused offers of support.

She added: “Unfortunately, time in prison did not improve her behaviour. In fact, it got worse and was having a more damaging impact on the other residents in the street. We gave this woman every opportunity to change her behaviour, but she constantly refused help and we felt that we were out of options.”

It is understood Hillier moved into the flat from where she was evicted almost three years ago. She had lived there with her husband but he left.

One neighbour, a 41-year-old woman who has a 13-year-old son, said: “It was almost two-and-a-half years of hell. It’s a relief that she has gone. It was really stressful. I’m a caring person and I do feel bad that she has been evicted as I don’t want to see any vulnerable person evicted, but at the end of the day my child is more important.

“She would be out in the street and in the garden shouting abuse but nobody was there. The language she used was so abusive and my n Continued on Page 2