A PENRITH woman who was last week convicted of two violent offences was heard saying that she would make her neighbours' lives a “living hell."

A Cumbria Police lawyer revealed the claim as she formally opposed a defence application to delay a judge’s decision about whether the Castle Court flat where 33-year-old Nikita Betts lives should be closed.

Cumbria Constabulary is seeking the “closure order” to end antisocial behaviour that allegedly emanates from her flat and has plagued fellow tenants. 

Some are so distressed they have stayed away from their homes. 

Betts returned to Carlisle’s Rickergate court for the second time in two days as District Judge John Temperley considered the adjournment application. The day before the hearing, the defendant was given a community order for an assault.

READ MORE: Penrith woman narrowly escapes jail for attack after 'provocation'

Defence lawyer Duncan Campbell said Betts needed more time to lay the groundwork for her legal battle to remain in the flat.

But prosecutor Gemma Rogerson said Cumbria Police wanted the court to press ahead with a closure order to save the defendant’s neighbours from more antisocial behaviour. “The reason police are opposing the application [to delay] is the severe impact of this behaviour,” said Miss Rogerson.

Police have already issued a "closure notice", which barred the defendant from allowing anybody else into the flat for 48 hours.

(Image: Cumbria Police photo)

The behaviour - some of it as recent as September 4 - has included “noise, parties, drugs, and threats of violence,” aimed at fellow Castle Court tenants, said the lawyer

“The impact on those tenants is incredibly severe,” said Miss Rogerson. “It has caused extreme stress, illness and fear of intimidation.”

There were references, she said, to Betts calling tenants “grasses.”

There was also an occasion when she allegedly used homophobic language, the court heard. Some tenants were staying away from Castle Court “a lot of the time through fear,” said Miss Rogerson. There were fears that the trouble could escalate.

Police wanted a closure order to prevent further incidents. "There are references to comments heard being made by Miss Betts where she mentioned making the lives of other tenants a living hell," added Miss Rogerson.

Mr Campbell said Betts was being helped by the local law centre and there was a plan for her to be represented by a barrister from Newcastle who had agreed to become involved.

There were also a plan to complete a psychological report to help her case.

District Judge Temperley said he had to balance the interests of Castle Court residents, who had chosen to stay away from what should be their homes because of ongoing behaviour, with the interests of Betts.

He granted the adjournment requested but said this would be for a little over a week, not the two weeks as requested by Mr Campbell. A final decision on the police application for a closure order will be on September 16.

The judge added: “In balancing those interests, I am satisfied that it is in the interests of justice to have a short adjournment of that length.”

As he adjourned the case, Judge Temperley told Betts, who wept through some of the 30-minute hearing, that  it would clearly not help her case were there to be any further antisocial behaviour associated with her flat.

If the closure order is granted, it would prevent any person from being at the address for a period of up to three months.