JUNKIES have destroyed a couple’s clothes and furniture after moving into their garage and turning it in to a drugs den.

Claire Hynes, 26, and partner James Malin, 31, are “furious”

after drug addicts broke in to their Basildon Council rented garage and turned in to a place to shoot-up and have sex.

Miss Hynes rented the garage in January as a place to store furniture for a couple of months before taking it to her partner’s disabled mum.

The couple have reported it to police but are angry those responsible have not been arrested and brought before the courts.

Miss Hynes has since turned detective, snapping pictures of the vagrants outside the garage and identifying them through Facebook.

Miss Hynes, who works as a recruitment consultant in the City said: “The scum bags have slept on my sofa, used my bedding and duvets and stole my clothes.

“My sofa has candle wax on it and the most revolting thing – it was covered in needles and syringes and there were condoms on the floor.

“It made me feel sick. I was absolutely furious.”

Miss Hynes understands police were made aware the vagrants had moved in to her garage in Cherrydown, Basildon, around February 16 after neighbours spotted someone breaking in and injecting themselves with drugs in the doorway.

However, she claims the authorities did not inform her about the complaints until March 6.

Miss Hynes said: “The council went round there to check and found five people sitting inside.

“They called a police officer, but when they arrived the group said they had permission to be there so they let them stay.”

Basildon Council then attempted to board up the garage, but the junkies broke back in.

She added: “It was upsetting because the most important thing was the sofa which we were due to give to my boyfriend’s disabled mum.

“It was heartbreaking. All I could think is how could a person do this to another person’s personal belongings.”

Miss Hynes was told by Essex Police they had no proof the people in the garage were causing the damage.

She said: “I’m completely exasperated by the idiocy of it all. Why are there laws if people can break them and not be held responsible?”

Fortunately the council have now re-boarded up the garage and the vagrants have been unable to get back in.

Miss Hynes added: “I feel as if the police won’t help us so I’m just trying to make the public aware this is happening. People deserve to know.”

ESSEX Police said they were aware of incidents at the couple’s  rented garage and reassured them they were continuing to investigate.

Insp Neil Carman, said: “A police officer has been allocated to the case.

“We are speaking to victims and gathering evidence from witnesses.

“I will be increasing visible patrols in the area and we will be conducting house-to-house enquiries. We take all incidents of criminal damage and drug dealing very seriously.

“We are determined to bring those responsible to justice.”

A spokesman from Basildon Council said on Thursday: “We received a report a garage had been broken into last Friday and about three hours later council and police officers attended.

“Five individuals were told to leave and the building was secured.

“We’ve had no further reports about the garage being broken into and it was found to be secure this afternoon, during one of the council’s regular estates inspections.

“The individuals concerned are known to the council’s housing options team and we are working with them to resolve their housing needs.

“The council works with St Mungos Broadway, which has a dedicated outreach worker, to identify those who are homeless and sleeping rough.

“Vulnerable people are being supporting through a holistic approach that looks at their housing requirements and any other social needs they may have.

“However, the council will not tolerate antisocial or criminal behaviour and residents are encouraged to report any such incidents to the council or to contact police.”