Sandwell Council is seeking to extend an injunction banning a traveller family from setting up unauthorised encampments anywhere in Sandwell.

Solicitors for the council will go back to court next week to extend to the injunction against the Cassidy family.

Fourteen members of the family were named in the order last year after a court heard how they had caused anti-social behaviour including assaults, large scale disorder, threats, intimidation, criminal damage and an extreme amount of fly-tipping.

The Cassidys, along with up to 40+ caravans and vehicles, set up camp on Sandwell Council and privately-owned sites more than 25 times between June 2014 and August 2016. The injunction was obtained in June 2017 and served on John Cassidy, the head of the family, last August when he was located in Warwickshire.

It bans John Cassidy from the whole of Sandwell, while the rest of the family are prohibited from setting up unauthorised encampments, causing damage to barriers and fly-tipping anywhere in Sandwell until August 2018.  The council will be seeking the extension of the injunction for as long as possible. Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and investment Councillor Paul Moore said:  

“We’ve seen the number of unauthorised encampments we deal with fall significantly in the past year and this injunction has helped us to achieve that. 

"We have also increased security at dozens of parks and open spaces and created a transit site where travelling groups can be ordered to move to by the police.

"Groups who move there must pay rent and a deposit for each caravan – and failure to move there leads to them being banned from Sandwell. We know the current order against the Cassidys has been effective so next week we’ll be back in court to extend it.

“We’re committed to protecting our parks and green spaces, as well as business premises and our residents, by continuing to crack down on unauthorised encampments."

Solicitors for the council will apply to extend the order under Section 1 of the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 187 (b) of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 and Section 222 of the Local Government Act 1972.

The application also includes persons unknown who are associated with the Cassidys.