A Ramsey man has been sentenced to 39 weeks imprisonment, suspended for 18 months and ordered to undertake 100 hours of community service for illegally evicting a tenant.
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Local Authority: Huntingdonshire District Council
Fine: None
Costs: None
Total: None
Following an investigation undertaken by Huntingdonshire District Council’s Environmental Health Officers, Peterborough Crown Court heard that on 24 August 2012, Clive Geddes (54) of Newtown Road, Ramsey, acting as the agent to the landlord of a residential property in Ramsey Forty Foot, unlawfully entered the property, removed the tenants possessions and prevented the tenant from continuing to occupy the property. This action resulted in the tenant and her two small children being made homeless and having to relocate to emergency temporary accommodation at public expense.
Clive Geddes was convicted of the offence of unlawfully depriving a residential occupier of the occupation of a property, and was sentenced on 18 December 2013. On passing sentence, the Judge invited the tenant to obtain independent legal advice in the pursuit of damages from the defendant and stated that she had substantial prospects of success in civil proceedings.
Councillor Robin Howe, Executive Councillor for Healthy and Active Communities said: “This was a particularly callous act which unlawfully deprived a mother and her children of their home simply because the agent found a tenant who would pay more rent for the property. The District Council will not allow vulnerable people to be exploited in this way, and I am very pleased that Mr Geddes has been convicted of this offence.”
