A FORMER crack den will stay sealed-up until Christmas.

Swindon Borough Council successfully applied for a three-month extension to a court order closing the County Road base of brothers Christopher and Terrance Bonner, who have a long list of convictions between them.

It means the terraced home, 16 County Road, will remain locked up until mid-December.

The house had been the centre of drug-dealing activity for at least two years.

Two sons of the 83-year-old home owner, a Christian woman who is understood to have died this summer, were involved in the drug trade. One, Terrance Bonner, was sentence in May for his role in drug gang nicknamed Pappy.

In June, Swindon Magistrates' Court were told of a long list of anti-social behaviour and drug incidents linked to the home.

Police visited the County Road house in January this year, searching for a missing young person. Town centre coordinator PC Paul Bezzant found drug needles scattered in an alleyway at the back of the house, including some apparently used to inject drugs.

On June 12, a number of 999 callers reported a fight outside the house. A woman and two men were said to be shouting and screaming at each other over a drug deal.

Making the order later that month, District Judge Simon 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 added: “In my experience of this town, it’s evident to me the people named [in relation to the closure notice]…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.”

Following the original order, 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 added: “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."

The latest closure order, approved by District Judge Cooper, will run until mid-December.