A CRACK den home owned by a pensioner will be locked up by council officers and police.

The County Road house was used by drug dealers, addicts and vulnerable sex workers. At least one Birmingham-based drugs gang is understood to have used it as a base.

But it is owned by a Christian woman in her 80s, now living in a Stratton care home. Swindon Borough Council said it applied for the order in part to secure her belongings and protect her interests in the property.

District Judge Simon Cooper yesterday approved the three-month closure order, saying: “In my experience of this town, it’s evident to me the people named…have been offending for a considerable period of time, such that at least two of them are unable to care for their children as they are in such desperate circumstances.

“They are plainly admitted street sex workers in two cases, in three cases convicted drug users and in one case a drug dealer who is serving 42 months for his actions on the streets of this town.”

Swindon Magistrates Court heard the house, 16 County Road, had been the centre of drug dealing activity for at least two years.

The sons of the 83-year-old homeowner were actively involved in the drug trade. One, Terrance Bonner, was sentenced last month to more than three years in prison for his part in a drug gang nicknamed Pappy.

Police visited the home in January this year, searching for a missing young person. They found drug needles scattered in an alleyway at the back of the house, including some that appeared to have been used to inject drugs.

On June 12, several 999 callers reported a fight outside the house. A woman and two men were said to be shouting and screaming at each other, apparently sparked by the refusal to sell drugs.

A week later, on Tuesday, the council slapped a 48-hour closure notice on the house. Borough solicitor Francis Maples appeared at court yesterday to get a longer closure order.

Mr Maples told the court: “For [the owner] it’s a very grave situation. She’s a devout Christian woman who must be very distressed by what’s happened in terms of the life her son’s chosen to lead.

“I fear if any of use went into the property today we would find grievous harm had already been done to her house. Anything of value would have been taken by now.”

Making the order, District Judge Cooper said: “I have a litany of incidents starting in November 2016, going to January 2018 and then on to June that quite clearly cause considerably distress, nuisance and concern to local people in that area of Swindon.

“I’m satisfied that it’s necessary to members of the public that the crack den is closed down.”

He praised the work of Swindon Borough Council and Wiltshire Police in bringing the closure order to court.

The order will run for at least three months and will be reviewed and potentially extended in September. Council solicitor Mr Maples said it was expected the house would be sold to fund its owner’s care costs.

Cathy Martyn, cabinet member for housing, said: “The residents who live nearby have been subjected to an enormous amount of anti-social behaviour. We have made it crystal clear that we will act, when necessary, to protect the community.”

Sgt David Tippetts of Wiltshire Police said: “This legislation enables us and our partner Swindon Borough Council to close properties that cause and attract anti-social behaviour which impacts on the local community.

“Getting this property closed for three months will enable us to implement a long term solution and any persons entering the house during that period will commit a criminal offence which will be robustly enforced.

“This demonstrates how seriously we take reports of anti-social behaviour and we encourage anyone who is suffering this type of behaviour to report any information via 101 or anonymously via Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.”