OAP’s £2,000 penalty over CCTV cameras

The tenant of a flat who put up CCTV cameras outside his London home to protect him against crime has been prosecuted by a council.

 

Len James was told by Wandsworth council he had breached his tenancy agreement when he installed two cameras at his flat in Dungeness House, Battersea.

 

Despite the cameras catching a burglar and car vandals, as well as discouraging drug dealers, he was ordered to pay £2,000 costs after a county court hearing.

 

The 77-year-old said: “I am worried because I don’t know where I’m going to get this £2,000 from. I can’t afford to live on the pension I get as it is.”

 

Mr James said several residents who had bicycles stolen had got them back after watching footage and confronting the culprits.

 

“If anything went wrong, my neighbours would ring me up to see my CCTV and I never said no. The police have been here too — they go through it." 

 

Wandsworth council said Mr James could have avoided the costs by removing the cameras earlier.