A teenage boy was also hospitalised with a face injury at a New Year’s Eve party at the house
17:23, 15 Apr 2026Updated 18:22, 15 Apr 2026
Anti-social behaviour at a house on Croxteth Avenue in Litherland which has been closed by police(Image: Supplied)
A nightmare neighbour house linked to a series of antisocial behaviour incidents, including the serious assault of a schoolboy at a party has been closed by police. The terraced house on Croxteth Avenue in Bootle was closed last month by Merseyside Police following a litany of concerns raised by locals.
A local source who first contacted the ECHO about the house in January said there had been issues at the property in question dating back to early 2025. He alleged “taxi drivers have been attacked in the street…the tenant frequently hosted parties with children in attendance…and gangs of men have turned up, smashing windows and hacking at the door”.
He said the police were called to the house in question three or four times a week by concerned residents who were fed up of the violence, shouting and open drug use. The police said the property was also linked to people “urinating in the street” and “confrontations with members of the public”.
Merseyside Police confirmed a closure order had been put in place as part of the Merseyside antisocial behaviour partnership, which involved the force working with local councils and housing associations to tackle problem behaviour across the region.
Chief Superintendent Karl Baldwin, chair of the partnership, said: “People have told us how antisocial behaviour really impacts their lives, and how at times, they’re not sure who to turn to.
“We know that the causes of antisocial behaviour are complex, and that it takes the right agency, at the right time, with the right approach to stop it – but throughout the golden thread is agencies coordinating their efforts, sharing information and tackling the problem together. When the public asks ‘who is responsible for dealing with antisocial behaviour’, we are striving for the answer to be ‘we all are, together’.”
Rubbish left near a house on Croxteth Avenue in Litherland which has been closed by police(Image: Supplied)
The ECHO understands the house in question was an Onward Homes property. Joanne Danaher, director of neighbourhoods at Onward, said: “We take all instances of antisocial behaviour and the effects this has on our communities extremely seriously.
“We are committed to working collaboratively with the police, local authorities, and other partners to tackle antisocial behaviour and safeguard our communities, and through this newly formed partnership, will continue to take decisive action whenever necessary to ensure that everyone can feel safe and supported in their homes and neighbourhoods.”
A local resident, whose identity the ECHO is protecting, said nitrous oxide canisters, rubbish and other paraphernalia was regularly dumped on the street. He said other incidents included windows being smashed and damage from what appeared to have been done by an axe on the front door.
Fireworks had also been put through other residents’ doors and arguments and fights had spilled out into the street. The ECHO previously reported how police were called to an incident at the house on New Year’s Eve following reports a teenager had been assaulted in the house. The boy was taken to hospital due to facial injuries.
A video posted by Merseyside Police showed the moment officers attended the scene on March 24 to serve the closure order notice to the house residents. The officer can be heard to tell the tenant: “So we’re here today…to issue you with a closure notice. We have a number of bits of paperwork to put up.
“Some of them are going to be put on the door, the window, we need to get access to the rear. It is an offence…to remain on or enter or obstruct the constable entering, or doing anything reasonably necessary to secure the premises against entry by any person. A person who commits an offence…that is liable up to six months imprisonment or a five of £5,000 or both.
“We’re going to put a notice up on the front door, we’re going to put a notice up on the window, we need to put a notice up on the rear door and we need to put one in a prominent place inside.”
Chief Superintendent Karl Baldwin, of Merseyside Police(Image: Merseyide Police)
After the tenant asked if they were being evicted, the officer replied: “We are trying to get you out of the house now, yeah, because you caused that many issues on the streets then we have to take action.” The ECHO understands the tenant was allowed back into the house to remove their belongings.
Ch Supt Baldwin added: “The perception that, because there are no blue lights after a report of antisocial behaviour, the police are treating it like a minor incident, is something we’re working hard to change. Every one of those reports is evidence for when we take one of these orders to court. It’s not minor to you, it’s not minor to us.
“Our goal, as the Merseyside antisocial behaviour partnership, is more transparency. We want to give the public access to more information about the work happening behind the scenes; I’d encourage people to visit the website and look at what we’re doing and what we’re committed to.”
Merseyside’s police and crime commissioner Emily Spurrell said: “Antisocial behaviour causes real anxiety and disruption in people’s daily lives, and too often residents tell me they feel passed from pillar to post when trying to get help. The launch of this partnership is our commitment to changing that.
“By bringing together more than 20 organisations from across our region including councils, housing providers, charities, we are creating a united front – one that is proactive, coordinated and focused on early intervention.”
The ECHO’s source said the antisocial behaviour “couldn’t have got much worse” than it did. He described the closure notice as “a huge relief”.