FIVE members of a household in Swanmore have been given Anti-Social Behaviour Orders (ASBOs) and their home been repossessed by Winchester City Council.

A council spokesman said the Council obtained the ASBOs on the five thanks to successful partnership working between it, Hampshire Police and local residents.

The ASBOs were gained together with an outright possession order for the family's tenancy in the Springvale area, following continual complaints of anti-social behaviour, including damage to property and aggressive and intimidating behaviour towards local people and officers.

She said: "Information was compiled with the support and assistance of local residents and the evidence clearly showed the negative impact the family was having on their neighbours' health and quality of life.

"Winchester City Council Housing Officers and Hampshire Police made every effort to work with the family to prevent the applications for the ASBOs and possession proceedings becoming necessary. However, despite numerous interventions to assist the family in maintaining their tenancy, the families conduct and behaviour did not improve."

The three five year ASBOs against Michael Harfield, 66, his wife Patricia, 42, and son Matthew, 18, covering the whole of England and Wales were gained at Winchester County Court on July 28 and the full ASBO hearings for Cindy, 16, and Ryan, 13, are scheduled for October in Portsmouth, in the meantime interim ASBOs have been secured.

The council also regained possession of the property on August 13.

The orders were granted after hearing evidence produced by the council and the Police that all family members had engaged in conduct likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress to local residents, resulting in numerous breaches of tenancy.

Cllr Tony Coates said "Winchester City Council is committed to tackling anti-social behaviour and while every attempt is made to steer individuals away from behaving in an anti-social manner, action had to be taken in this instance due to the impact of the family's behaviour on the local community.

"Due to the behaviour of this one particular household, residents were being deprived of the peaceful enjoyment of their homes. By resolving the issue successfully, residents are now able to enjoy the quality of life to which they are entitled."