'Shameless' family leave house

Mar 13 2007 By Adam Smith, Birmingham Mail

THIS is the scene inside the house of the 'Shameless' family of 12, from Great Barr, after they vacated the premises before the bailiffs came knocking.

Alviria Benjamin and her clan allegedly used the house in West Road, on the Durham Estate, to hold parties for hundreds of revellers.

The bailiffs, Sandwell Homes bosses, locksmiths, police officers, community support officers and maintenance men all descended on the property - two homes knocked into one - yesterday morning after an eviction notice was served.

However, Alviria and her family had left the property, where they had installed a bar and a gym, leaving the keys in the letterbox, avoiding confrontation with the authorities.

The bar had been ripped out, the gym equipment dismantled and the majority of the furniture had been taken away.

However, the family left behind a wall paper steamer which a court heard was used in a home made sauna.

Peter John, operations director at Sandwell Homes, said: "We had first estimated that the damage caused was around £6,000 but the house is in a right state and it is going to cost a lot more to get these properties back to normal."

Mr John added: "Work will start immediately on reverting the property back in to two so we can let them again to local families."

But news that the home is being separated disappointed several residents on the Durham estate.

One resident, who did not want to be named, said: "I'm going to put a request in myself to have the house.

"I've got a few kids and it would be perfect for me, so I hope the council don't cause too much damage boarding the windows up."

Recorder Mary Wilson handed Sandwell Council a possession order of the house after a three day hearing at Walsall County Court in January where accusations of drug dealing and anti-social behaviour were levelled at the family.

Alviria has always denied she or her family has done anything wrong.