Benefits Street: West Midlands Police chief owns house on James Turner Street

The West Midlands Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner has been a James Turner Street landlady for almost 12 years

Gerard is one of the younger residents of James Turner Street in Winson Green

The West Midlands Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner owns a house on the road which Channel 4’s controversial fly on the wall documentary Benefits Street was filmed.

Yvonne Mosquito paid £30,000 for the property almost 12 years ago according to the Land Registry, the Birmingham Mail reports.

Ms Mosquito does not live in the house on James Turner Street in Winson Green, nor did the tenants appear in the series, it is understood.

Ms Mosquito’s force, West Midlands Police, said it has watched the series to investigate crime after being “inundated” with messages from concerned viewers.

Channel 4 has received wide criticism for the show, with a petition demanding that no further episodes be aired having now received close to 50,000 signatures.

Appointed to the post by the elected Police and Crime Commissioner, Bob Jones, Ms Mosquito earns £65,000 per year for the job. She is also Labour councillor for which she receives a £16,267 yearly allowance.

A spokesman for the Police and Crime Commissioner office told the Birmingham Mail: ‘‘Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner Yvonne Mosquito is currently on leave and is not available to comment.

‘‘It is a statutory requirement that Police and Crime Commissioners and Deputy Police and Crime Commissioners publish a declaration of interests, including any property held.”