ANYONE setting up unauthorised travelling camps on two Oldbury playing fields could face jail time after a court injunction was served.

The injunction granted to Sandwell Council, supported by West Midlands Police, in June was brought into force this week after the head of the travelling Cassidy family – who the council claimed caused “huge damage and disruption” to its land – was served with papers.

As well as banning the Cassidy family from setting up unauthorised encampments anywhere in Sandwell, the order also forbids anyone illegally camping on 17 Sandwell Council-owned sites, including Oldbury’s Lion Farm Playing Fields, in Newbury Lane, and Tame Road Playing Fields, in Brandhall.

Those who breach the injunction could face two years in jail, a fine or have their assets seized.

Head of the Cassidy family – John Cassidy, who was served in Warwickshire on Monday (August 21) – has also been banned from the whole of Sandwell.

Councillor Paul Moore, Sandwell Council’s cabinet member for regeneration and investment, said: “I’d like to thank the police for their assistance and the lengths they have gone to successfully serve this injunction on John Cassidy.

“The practicalities of an injunction are you have to physically serve them on a person, and this hasn’t been easy. Now this has been done, Sandwell is protected from this particular group who have caused huge damage and disruption to council land and for our communities.

“Unauthorised encampments cause misery for residents, cost the council thousands of pounds a year and take up valuable police time and resources.

“This injunction is the latest in a series of actions we’re taking to prevent and remove unauthorised encampments, including the use of bailiffs, police powers and creating a transit site in Boulton Road, Smethwick.

“Dealing with unauthorised encampments and the mess they often leave behind cost the council around £250,000 last year and this is just not acceptable.

“It’s our priority to protect our land by doing whatever we can to stop unauthorised encampments in Sandwell.”

In June, the High Court of Justice, sitting in Birmingham, heard how the Cassidy family had caused anti-social behaviour including assaults, large scale disorder, threats, intimidation, criminal damage and an extreme amount of fly-tipping on sites across Sandwell.

The group, along with about 40 caravans and vehicles, set up camp on Sandwell Council and privately-owned sites more than 25 times between June 2014 and August 2016.

Parks, business estates, car parks and playing fields were all targeted – often with human waste and tonnes of rubbish left behind once the group were moved on.

John Cassidy is now banned from the whole of Sandwell, while the rest of the family are prohibited from setting up unauthorised encampments, causing damage to barriers and fly-tipping anywhere in Sandwell.

In addition to the order on the Cassidy family, the injunction also bans unauthorised encampments on 17 council sites regularly targeted by groups with caravans after Judge McKenna granted the injunction based on substantial evidence submitted by the council and West Midlands Police.

Unauthorised encampment in Sandwell can be reported to Sandwell Council by emailing unauthorised_encampments@sandwell.gov.uk, calling 0121 569 3862, or by calling the police on 101.