A local authority has prosecuted a landlord for illegally evicting a tenant.

Tendring district council prosecuted Lisa Bottone of Chelmsford who admitted the offence and was handed a 12 month Community Service Order with a rehabilitiation activity requirement of 20 days.

She was further ordered to pay £75 costs to the victim Regina Dewar.

The council told a court that Dewar signed a 12 months tenancy agreement on September 13 last year to live at the property in Chelmsford; the council agreed to pay the rent and deposit.

However a week later Bottone told Dewar she could no longer move in; Tendring council, however, advised the tenant that the landlord had no right to stop her moving in.

On September 22 Dewar arrived at the property but was barred entry. Two council officers attended and spoke to the landlord but she refused to change her position.

The council then decided to enforce the breach of the Protection from Eviction Act 1977, which led to the current prosecution.