Ilford pair sentenced over ‘eyesore’ front garden

The front yard of the Courtland Avenue property owned by of Mohammad Usman Ali and Sadia Ijaz had been the source of complaints from residents to Redbridge Council.

Reports of the state of the garden littered with mattresses, other furniture and household waste were first made on December 8 2022.

The property was first visited by a council enforcement officer last year.

After failed attempts at contacting the homeowners, enforcement officers opened an investigation into the identity of them.

Warning notices and a legally enforceable community protection notice were ignored, Redbridge Council said, despite letters reminding them of the outstanding penalty notice to be paid.

The front yard seen as the community eyesore (Image: London Borough of Redbridge)

Both Ali and Ijaz were summoned to Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday August 29, charged for failing to comply with the community protection notice they were issued, but they failed to make an appearance.

The hearing of the case against them proceeded in their absence and was proved – the outcome landing the pair with a total of £1,905 in fines, court, and council costs.

Councillor Khayer Chowdhury, cabinet member for enforcement and community safety, said: “Nobody wants to see their street turned into an eyesore or a dumping ground, which is why we won’t hesitate to take action against those committing grime crimes in our borough.”