Weoley Castle family from hell evicted

Jun 3 2009 by Nick McCarthy, Birmingham Mail

Karen Wilkins was also convicted by Birmingham Magistrates in January 2008 for waving a seven-inch kitchen knife around in public and in front of children after she fell out with a neighbour.

Some neighbours said they were scared to leave the house or to confront the family, particularly Karen, who would growl at them when she was challenged.

Another neighbour, Bob Dunn, a 52-year-old mechanic, said: “There is no pleasure to see any family made homeless, but nobody could live with it any longer.

“I tried to speak to Karen and I tried to speak to the lads, but they just laughed and got verbally abusive.”

He claimed: “There has been a catalogue of problems for years that has just been getting worse. Even tradesmen and visitors had their cars broken into. I am a mechanic and I have replaced nearly every window on the street.

“I think the whole system has failed the family and there should have been some intervention at a much earlier stage.”

Wilkins and her teenage daughter will now participate in a special family intervention programme, which will re-house the two of them in a bid to change their behaviour.

Superintendent Mark Robinson from Bournville Lane police station, said the action showed that bad behaviour which impacted on the lives of others, would not be tolerated.

And Coun Ayoub Khan, Cabinet Member for Local Services and Community Safety, said: “I am committed to ensuring all our citizens can live in safe, pleasant communities and the senseless behaviour of a few will not be tolerated.”