Landlord jailed for mum lock-out

ast Updated: Wednesday, 22 March 2006, 20:26 GMT  E-mail this to a friend Printable version

Steven Dickens was described as "arrogant" in court A landlord from north Wales who was the first to get an anti-social behaviour order has been jailed for eight weeks.Steven Dickens, 41, from Rhos-on-Sea in Conwy, admitted breaching the Asbo a fortnight after it was imposed. On Wednesday, Llandudno magistrates heard how Dickens, Conwy's biggest private landlord, locked a young mother out of her new flat. District judge Andrew Shaw, told Dickens it was a "fundamental and serious breach of the order". The court heard that "arrogant" Dickens told the 23-year-old tenant's mother during a phone call that it was his policy not to let properties to anyone under 25. But the court heard the woman had made her age known when she signed the tenancy agreement. Housing department The Asbo was put in place last October after Dickens threatened council officials. It prevents him from using threatening or abusive behaviour towards his tenants, or unlawfully evicting them. He is also barred from attending Conwy Council's housing department. But the court heard last month how Dickens told Alison Hedges she could not rent one of his properties in Colwyn Bay, because he did not rent property to people under 25. But, the court heard, she had already been given the keys to the property by Dickens' company only to find the locks had been changed. Leaflets identifying Dickens and listing the conditions of his Asbo were circulated to his tenants last December.