Police have kicked a couple out of a Falmouth flat after drug users frequented it day and night, leading to antisocial behaviour and overdoses outside.

Magistrates ordered the married couple's removal from the Old Police Station in Berkeley Vale yesterday as the behaviour was upsetting neighbours, people in the street, and local shopkeepers.

Chris and Rachel Hodges, who lived at Flat 11 in the building, opposed an application before Truro magistrates from Devon and Cornwall Police for a closure order under the Anti-social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act.

But at the end of the hearing on Wednesday they were told by chairman Fiona Roberts: ”You have to go and collect your property and be out of there today”.

Evidence was given by Police Sgt Mark Cooper, neighbourhood policing team leader for Falmouth, Sarah Justin, housing officer for Sanctuary Housing and Tom Styles, anti social behaviour case worker for Cornwall Council.

The magistrates heard that evidence of what went on in the flat and around it had come from police logs, diaries kept by other flat residents, and fire and ambulance officers called to the building at times.

Two people had been found in the hallway outside No 11 suffering from overdoses. One had been taken to hospital and another had died.

Visitors went to the Hodges’ flat to buy drugs and were encouraged to use them there.

They congregated in the hallway, arguing, screaming, fighting, playing loud music, using the place as a toilet, banging on other flat doors, dropping litter and activating fire alarms. Outside the building they were selling drugs, and offering drugs to passersby.  Some had been going into local shops, distracting staff in order to steal.

They were people, it was alleged, who were known to the Hodges and linked to their flat.

Broken bottles, drink cans, drug paraphernalia and needles had been found outside the building, and eggs had been thrown from the top floor at people outside.

Sgt Cooper said there had been three search warrants executed at the flat since 2014, leading to court convictions against both Chris and Rachel Hodges for possessing drugs. Herbal cannabis, plants and growing paraphernalia had been found in the flat, cocaine, diazepam, morphine, methadone  and assorted pills and tablets for medication not prescribed to either of the occupants.

“There has been a large drug procedure in Falmouth where people have been arrested and dealt with coming out of their flat”, he said.

Police intelligence reported that the Hodges had been cutting heroin in the kitchen blender, and not mixing it properly.  Fake substances had been going round, coming from the building, which had been having bad effects.

Ms Justin said thousands of pounds had been spent trying to maintain a secure communal door to the building, which had an intercom system, but as soon as it was mended, it had been broken by people wanting to get in. On occasions they had buzzed other flats to get access.

Chris Hodges, aged 46, said he and his wife had been tenants of the flat for 13 years. During that time he had “tried his hardest”, throwing people out, and policing the area himself because of what was going on. He said he could not be responsible for what went on outside their home. The outer door was never secure, despite his reporting it.

He accepted the reports of anti-social behaviour there and said people squatted in the hallway, even had sex in the corridors.

“We know a lot of people, people who come to my place respect my place. If people bring drugs to my house I cannot control that.”  Overdoses did not happen there.

“I don’t know why we are here” he went on.”These things have happened, but it is not anything to do with us. It is all hearsay, none of this is linked to us”.

Ms Roberts said the magistrates were not impressed by Chris Hodges’ response. “We took the view he minimised his involvement.”

She said the Bench were satisfied people had engaged in disorderly and criminal behaviour on the premises, and while appreciating it was the Hodges’ home, were making a closure order to protect the public in the area.

The order prohibits access to the premises for three months by any persons, except the owner, landlord or their agents.

Chris Hodges’ reply to this was: “Where are we supposed to go…?”