A notorious neighbour-from-hell, who breached a court-imposed ASBO by making death threats to long-suffering neighbours while wielding a fearsome gardening tool, has been jailed for four-and-a-half months.
However, 44 year-old jobless gardener Clive Farquharson was immediately released to return to Grierson House, Aldrington Estate, Tooting Bec (pictured) due to time served on remand.
He pleaded guilty at Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court to breaching the Anti-Social Behaviour Order on May 2 by subjecting his neighbours to harassment, alarm and distress.
The five-year ASBO was imposed at South Western Magistrates' Court on August 11 last year following a catalogue of complaints about his disruptive, noisy and aggressive behaviour.
Neighbours reported Farquharson banging on their front doors at all hours demanding food or money, vandalising their property and making threats.
Prosecutor Abigail Husbands told the court Farquharson, who has been convicted of 34 previous offences, was arrested yet again for angrily roaming the block of flats with a four foot long bladed gardening tool.
One neighbour heard the defendant shouting: "I'm going to chop your heads off" and called police, telling officers he was at the end of his tether and wanted an injunction against Farquharson.
"Another neighbour heard four or five loud bangs to the window of her flat and could hear the defendant shouting at the top of his voice," explained Mrs Husbands.
"A woman who also phoned the police went outside because her daughter was there and saw the defendant walking up the stairs waving a gardening tool shouting: 'Do you want some?'
"They were concerned he may try to threaten them directly with it."
Eventually a local shopkeeper who is on better terms with Farquharson persuaded him to hand over the tool and he was arrested.
The defendant has been in custody since his arrest.
"There is no point ignoring what the future is. The residents have to be left in peace. What am I supposed to do?" asked Judge Peter Birts QC.
"I have been told you were agitated and there is something about your personality that makes you behave like this and upsets the peace of others," the judge told Farquharson.
"I have heard you are having some help with your drinking through your local church and I am trusting you to continue with that help and not disturb your neighbours.
"If you do you will be back here for another breach and the consequences will be very serious."
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