City of York Council has been awarded immediate possession of a council home on Kingsway West after York County Court heard that its tenants were responsible for catalogue of anti-social behaviour.

Barry Anderson (21) and Kamara Griffiths (19), who had been tenants of the two-bedroom house since October 2005, were found to have breached the terms of their tenancy agreement on 123 occasions and the judge described their behaviour as 'appalling'.

Their persistent and anti-social behaviour included playing loud music; shouting and swearing; intimidating and harassing neighbours; riding minimotos in street, on the pavement, on Hob Moor and in the garden; not keeping their dogs under control; and verbally abusing and intimidating council officers. 

This behaviour continued even after the defendants were served with harassment warnings and a warning regarding the use of minimotos by the police. They also received several warnings about keeping their dogs under control; a noise abatement notice; a breach of tenancy notice; a warning about bonfires and a further warning about the use of minimotos from the council's environmental protection team. 

A City of York spokesperson said: "The behaviour of Kamara Griffiths, Barry Anderson and their visitors was intolerable for their neighbours and completely unacceptable to the council, as their landlord.

"Council departments and the police worked closely together to tackle the problem and to support the people who had to endure anti-social behaviour every day.  Despite the many warnings and notices Griffiths and Anderson received, they carried on without any regard for their neighbours.

"We are very grateful to the neighbours who had the courage to come forward to give evidence, even in the face of persistent harassment.  It was everyone working together that has put an end to these tenants' selfish, yobbish behaviour."