Nightmare Stoke-on-Trent council tenant kicked out over son's unruly behaviourGareth Machin had set fire to his neighbour's curtains in a row over a womanView Image Pretoria Road in Etruria (Image: Google Maps)A nightmare tenant has been evicted from his Stoke-on-Trent council house - after his son set fire to a neighbour's home in a row over a woman. Stoke-on-Trent County Court heard the property in Pretoria Road, Etruria, had become the centre of 'serious criminal activity'. ‌As a result, Stoke-on-Trent City Council's Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) team secured a court possession order for the house after a hearing held earlier this month. The council then became aware of the conviction in July 2025 and subsequently served a Notice of Seeking Possession – an eviction notice used due to proven anti-social behaviour - on the tenant on August 14 last year. ‌Speaking after the tenant's eviction, Councillor Duncan Walker, cabinet member for safe and resilient communities, said: “We take anti-social behaviour extremely seriously and will act swiftly where criminal activity puts residents and neighbourhoods at risk.

Source: Daily Mirror February 17, 2026 16:36 UTC