A flat has been closed down after a "non-stop flow" of trouble ranging from drugs and brawls to allegations of racism. The tenant broke down in tears as a judge told her she was being made homeless.
Wearing a black puffer jacket over a floral dress Ceri Booth appeared at Cardiff Magistrates' Court on Monday where she denied a plague of antisocial behaviour had stemmed from her flat in the capital, 39 South Morgan Place in Canton, since she moved in shortly before last Christmas. Neighbours gave evidence against Booth with one claiming she had suggested he "go back" to his country.
The hearing had appeared set to go ahead without Ms Booth after she disappeared from the court but she eventually re-entered 25 minutes late. Cardiff Council pursued the closure order after placing the 54-year-old in the flat — on the first floor of a three-storey block — on a trial following her departure from a property in Splott because of antisocial behaviour allegations against her, said the council's representative Richard Grigg. "The problem seems to arrive wherever she's living," he added.
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Observing that Booth was not represented by a lawyer District Judge David Webster told her: "The matter was before the court last week. You were advised at that stage to try to find a solicitor to help you."
Booth claimed she was told she would have two weeks to find a lawyer but then the council "brought forward" the case. Appearing nonplussed Mr Grigg shook his head and said: "The date hasn't changed."
A tearful Booth blamed the block's drug issues on a dealer who had lived in the flat opposite her before he was evicted in February. "I still get people throwing stones at my window asking for shoot-ups even though he's not been there for months," she said. "When I moved in he was dealing and it was mayhem, it was crazy, but it seems to have got pushed onto me."
Housing officer Naomi Pearson told the court Booth left the flat after the previous court hearing but she returned on Saturday "along with many visitors" who went "back and forth" as neighbours were woken up "lots of times" in the early hours. Ms Pearson said needles were often found outside Booth's window to which she replied: "I don't understand where they came from. I don't inject, it was the guy opposite me injecting." When WalesOnline visited the block after the hearing, a hypodermic needle could be seen in a bush under the flat 39 window.
The housing officer said three neighbours had made complaints about people gathering around the block at night, calling Booth's name, and trying to get in the building. The witnesses reported recent fighting in the street.
Booth shouted at Ms Pearson: "I haven't had a chance. Since I met you you've had it in for me. You don't know me." The housing officer denied "picking on her", adding: "I follow the process."
One of Booth's neighbours, a foreign national, then gave evidence. Booth questioned why he "had it in" for her, telling him: "I congratulated you on your baby." The man replied: "Yeah. After telling me to go back to my country."
He described his relationship with Booth as "terrible, always". Asked by the judge if he was keen to see her evicted he replied: "Yes. Desperately." He accused her of aiming a racial slur at him to which Booth shook her head and laughed.
Pointing at him she shouted: "You're always stamping really hard in the flat above." The neighbour replied that he simply walks around to soothe his baby. At this point the judge intervened: "Would you both please stop? These are court proceedings. This is not an argument down the pub."
Another neighbour then gave evidence and complained about the "non-stop flow" of visitors shouting and arguing in Booth's flat. She replied that this neighbour had always been unfriendly to her, adding: "I tried to acknowledge him and say hello but he just ignores me." The man turned to the judge and remarked: "She's never said hello."
Booth added: "That other guy, the foreign fella, I don't know his name, he gives me a hard time. I knocked his door because I just wanted to know why he kept stamping. I'm laying on my settee watching a film and he's stamping. It causes so much stress for me."
She claimed she was free from Class A drugs and was on a substitute prescription for Buvidal. Pausing to turn off her ringing phone she said: "Sorry, your honour."
Asked why a man was arrested for having heroin and Spice in her flat she said she had only let him in because he was with a girl who was unwell and needed tampons. "I had brand new knickers from Safer Wales and I gave her a pair of them," she said.
Mr Grigg put it to Booth that she partied "all night long" on her first night in the flat. She replied: "No, I put a Christmas tree up and had a Christmas dinner with my sister. It was lovely and quiet."
Booth claimed that "two black guys" who spent time in the flat opposite her "were the drug dealers" but Mr Grigg pointed out the block's antisocial behaviour had not diminished since that flat became empty in February. She replied that other people had continued dealing, adding: "I should have called police. I'm sorry."
Asked if she had smoked cannabis while leaning against a neighbour's door she replied: "I swear on my mother's grave I don't smoke ganja." And she denied throwing bags of rubbish out of her window, saying: "It was a bit of bread for the birds. I'm not a litterbug. I think it's disgusting. Keep the country clean I say."
Judge Webster said that even on Booth's version of events she had been "too kind-hearted" about who she let into her property. "I am satisfied that you have engaged in disorderly behaviour," he told her. "I am not saying you have engaged in criminal behaviour."
Booth cried as the judge imposed an order preventing anyone from living at the flat for three months. "Am I allowed to stay in my home?" she asked. The judge replied "no" and she placed her head in her hands.
"Where am I going to go?" she asked to which the judge said she should take that up with the local authority. Mr Grigg said arrangements would be made for Booth's clothes to be taken to her from the flat and that the council's homelessness service had been told to expect a temporary accommodation application from her.
When WalesOnline visited the flat following the judgement Booth's sister was inside. She said she was visiting and unaware of the closure order. When informed she said: "I think it's terrible. The blooming idiot opposite had people back and forth 24/7. She's getting all the blame." You can read more court stories here.
