Sunderland nightmare neighbour who left residents living in fear given five-year jail warning after being hit with court order

Stephen Ramshaw, of Maple Avenue in Silksworth, could face up to five years in prison if he breaches the order that was secured against him on Tuesday, May 31, at South Tyneside Magistrates’ Court.

Sunderland City Council, in partnership with Northumbria Police, served Ramshaw a Community Protection Warning (CPW) in July 2020 after neighbours complained of abusive language and threatening and aggressive behaviour.

However the warning failed and in March 2021, residents reported increasingly intimidating behaviour from Ramshaw, with some stating that they felt frightened to raise their concerns due to his history of threatening behaviour.

As a result, the CPW was escalated to Community Protection Notice (CPN) following evidence of aggressive behaviour towards police officers who had visited his address.

The notice aimed to prevent Ramshaw from causing further harassment, alarm, or distress to others however as his anti-social behaviour continued, the council looked to secure a Criminal Behaviour Order (CPO).

Councillor Claire Rowntree, Deputy Leader of Sunderland City Council and cabinet member for environment and transport, hopes that the order will improve the quality of life for residents on Maple Avenue.

She said: "This is someone who has repeatedly made his neighbours lives a misery and I am pleased that we've been able to secure a criminal behaviour order against him.

"I hope this will have a positive impact on the residents of Maple Avenue and send out a strong message that antisocial behaviour will not be tolerated.

"I would also like to thank residents and local councillors for assisting us in helping to bring this matter to court. "

Chief Inspector Neil Hall, from Northumbria Police, added: "The majority of residents in the Sunderland area are a credit to the community but hopefully this Order shows that when an individual or group of people do participate in anti-social behaviour that we will take appropriate action.

"No one should have to live in fear of intimidation or aggressive behaviour in their own neighbourhood.

“Stephen was given multiple opportunities to turn his behaviour around, but instead of working with police and our partners, he continued to cause a nuisance and have shown a repeat disregard for the law.

"I’d like to thank the wider community for their patience and cooperation and reassure them we will continue to do all we can to act on any concerns reported to us."

The Criminal Behaviour Order will remain in place for two years and any breach could result in Ramshaw being sent to prison for up to five years, given a fine or both.

The order sets out that Ramshaw must take all necessary steps to ensure that neither he or any member of his household or visitors causes excessive or unreasonable noise or conduct likely to cause nuisance, harassment, alarm or distress.

In the last 12 months, Sunderland City Council has also secured seven closure orders on problem properties to tackle anti-social behaviour as well as 139 Community Protection Warnings and 43 Community Protection Notices.