In July we reported on a case before Canterbury Crown Court that was described by Thanet District Council (the prosecuting Local Authority) as a "landmark prosecution" and which was believed to have been the largest ever prosecution of its type (a number of offences under the Protection from Eviction Act 1977).

The defendants have now been sentenced with the main defendant, landlord Sohila Tamiz, receiving 14 custodial sentences, some to run concurrently and some to run consecutively, adding up to a total jail sentence of 5 years.

The second defendant, Pedram Tamiz received sentences totalling 3 years in jail;

Adam McChesney received sentences totalling 1 year and 8 months, suspended for 24 months and with an additional 250 hours of unpaid work; The fourth defendant, , Kassem El Darrat, received a 12 month community order, 150 hours of unpaid work and 15 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days.

Thanet DC applied for compensation orders for the tenant victims and Judge Rupert Lowe, in granting 10 compensation orders totalling £30,500, said "these are genuine victims who have suffered terror, shock and distress, the loss of proeprty and in one case, serious injury."

The landlord and 2 of her co-defendants were ordered to pay costs totalling £200,000 and she and her primary co-defendant were made subject to banning orders preventing them for operating or managing rental properties for an indefinite period of time.

Cllr. Ash Ashbee, leader of the Council, paid tribute to Thanet District Council's Private Sector Housing Team, which he said had worked tirelessly for 3 to bring this prosecution and get justice for the tenant victims.