A LANDLORD faces an £18,000 bill after he housed “eight or nine” tenants despite a ban imposed by the courts.

Robert Crow, 71, was told to stop renting out his property, in Devereux Road, Southend, after being convicted of 18 offences relating to dangerous and insanitary living conditions.

Under a criminal behaviour order in 2018 he was only allowed family and long-standing friends to visit the property, limited to no more than two people at any time.

But when his property was visited on January 14, 2019, council officers found various people in different rooms, including a man saying he worked for Crow who in turn gave him accommodation.

Another woman said she was renting from Crow and other tenants were also found, with items of washing hanging out to dry.

More than one person were staying in some rooms, with eight or nine tenants in total.

Crow has previously said he “just helps people”, but went on to admit a breach of his order and was sentenced at Basildon Crown Court.

Mitigation said that he had difficulties getting tenants to leave, but his business as a landlord is “very much over”.

Judge Andrew Hurst said: “You had in effect blighted the lives of those around you in Devereux Road. It [the order] was there to protect them from any other future incident.

“In mitigation it was said you fell behind the times in terms of your obligations.

“You yourself reported anti-social behaviour on several occasions. You were at times somewhat overwhelmed by the tenants in your property. You’re able to be 72 and have a number of health problems and are in considerable arrears on your mortgage, and you no longer rent the properties.”

The judge said there was no evidence of any fresh breaches, and gave Crow a six-month suspended prison sentence, a £10,000 fine, and ordered him to pay £8,000 towards prosecution costs.