A LANDLORD'S appeal against his criminal behaviour order has been quashed and it has now been extended.

Robert Crow was previously convicted of 18 offences relating to dangerous and insanitary living conditions at his property in Devereux Road, Southend in 2018.

Mr Crow, 69, was given a criminal behaviour order to last for two years.

Since the conviction he has also been ordered to pay hundreds of pounds in unpaid council tax.

Mr Crow attempted to appeal his conviction from Southend Council at Basildon Crown Court on Friday, but this was unsuccessful.

Ian Gilbert, leader of Southend Council and the cabinet member for housing, said: "Following a court hearing at Basildon Crown Court on Friday February 7, the appeal was quashed and the original two year Criminal Behaviour Order has been extended to five years.

"This is fantastic news for local residents, many of whom have suffered due to the unsanitary living conditions provided by the individual."

Mr Crow can now have family and genuine long standing friends over to visit the property - limited to no more than two people at any one time - in restricted hours.

He cannot rent his property out to tenants.

He has previously told the Echo that he was being victimised by the council and that he only tries to help people.

However, witnesses told his court hearings that bathrooms and wash facilities would often be caked in filth, the kitchen was so dirty and cluttered it could not be used, and the bedrooms were cluttered with rubbish.

One man would use wash facilities once a week at a homeless centre, as there were no facilities in the property.

In November last year, huge mounds of rubbish were cleared out from the property's garden by council workers.

Neighbours on the road had described the rubbish as a "rat magnet" and congratulated the council for removing them.