Aug

Suspended jail sentence for landlord following shocking illegal eviction

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A landlord and former haulage company owner in Warrington has been given a suspended 24-week prison sentence after illegally evicting a tenant.

Adil Lahmer, 38, of no fixed abode was sentenced at Liverpool Crown Court after Warrington council’s Private Sector Housing team and Legal Services team conducted a lengthy investigation.

This was initiated after his tenant at his property on Watkin Street in Warrington, Bin Amani, came to its Homelessness and Housing Advice Service when he was illegally evicted.

The shocking facts of the case are that Lahmer returned from Germany and, claiming he needed to self-isolate due to Covid, ‘booted out’ out his former friend and tenant from the property.

During the trial, the court heard that because of the eviction Amani lost his job, his studies were affected and the company which he had recently set up was subsequently dissolved.

Personal possessions

There was also an impact upon his relationship with his children. He also lost most of his personal possessions.
Lahmer initially claimed the tenancy was fraudulent but the council’s investigation found this not to be true.

Recorder Richard Leiper QC (RLQC) said that the illegal eviction was a “deliberate act, planned in advance and committed in breach of a written agreement and the day after a rent payment for December had been made by Mr Amani”.

Following the hearing Lahmer was sentenced to 24 weeks in jail suspended for 18 months; 150 hours of unpaid community work; must pay Mr Amani £541; and contribute £1,000 to the council’s prosecution costs.

Cllr Hitesh Patel, cabinet member for environment, housing and public protection, said: “This is a fantastic outcome after the hard work that has been put in by our housing and legal teams. This should also serve as a warning for other unscrupulous landlords that this behaviour is not acceptable.”

It has also transpired that Lahmer is now homeless, because, ‘due to the stress of the court case’ he reduced the number of hours he worked and consequently had been unable to keep up with mortgage payments and the property had now been repossessed.

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