Party-loving neighbour kicked out after Asbo

By David O’Leary
Published on 01/02/2013 12:00

A PARTY-loving neighbour from hell has been evicted from his council flat for staging weekend-long bashes attended by up to 40 drunken teenagers.

Douglas Blakey, of Calder Grove, was evicted by Sheriff Officers on Thursday after council bosses were granted an eviction order at the Edinburgh Sheriff Court.

The 44-year-old, who lived in the 16-flat block with his 16-year-old daughter, was turfed out following continued breaches of an Anti-Social Behaviour Order imposed in September 2011.

Despite the Asbo, very little changed and over the past two years neighbours complained on numerous occasions about raucous parties and blaring music from the Wester Hailes address.

They said booming dance music was regularly held at late hours – although Mr Blakey lists Eminem, below, Pink Floyd and rock music amongst his favourites on Facebook.

Allegations of fighting within both his flat and the common stair were also reported.

One neighbour, who asked not to be named, said: “Everyone’s delighted that it’s over and we have our stair back. He’s lived there for around 13 years but the last two or three years have been a nightmare. There would be parties every night of the weekend with youngsters coming and going and screaming and shouting.

“Our stair became known around the scheme as the ‘party stair’. Loud dance music would be booming out of the place, we’ve also had to put up with vandalism, broken lights and smashed windows and one of the neighbours’ cars was damaged too.”

As a result of his open all hours policy Blakey received several formal warnings from the council which he failed to heed – an eviction order was then sought and granted in December 2012.

To the relief of his neighbours, council officers finally arrived and pitched him out of his address yesterday morning – a hi-fi, large flatscreen TV and leather sofa plus several bags of clothes were still left on the landing of the stair yesterday evening while the front door is now boarded up.

Mr Blakey’s neighbour added: “It’s a shame really but he just let them have free rein over his flat. I spoke with him after he was evicted and he told me that in actual fact he was glad to be leaving.

“We’re all just glad to have a bit of peace and quiet again.”

City housing leader Cllr Cammy Day believes the action taken serves to reinforce the council’s firm line with problem neighbours. He said: “I hope yesterday’s eviction sends out a clear message that we will not tolerate anti-social behaviour. Evicting a tenant is not something the council does lightly but in this case we had to take the strongest possible action.

“Tenants have a duty to behave responsibly, however Mr Blakey’s neighbours were subjected to constant 
anti-social behaviour which made their lives a misery.

“He was served with an anti-social behaviour order but this was breached on numerous occasions so there was no option but to go for an eviction order.

“The Capital Coalition gave a commitment to ensuring tenants fulfil their good conduct responsibilities and we are determined not let a small minority ruin the lives of those who behave responsibly.”