"Old Hand" Went On Boozy Wrecking Spree During Optician's Row

"Old Hand": Parkinson

An OAP, who downed half a bottle of spirits before wrecking an optician’s during an alcohol-fuelled dispute, was told by a judge he is an “old hand” at playing the system.

Alan Parkinson, 68, of The Beeches, London Road, Mitcham, insisted he was due a discount on his recent purchase and threatened: "I'll destroy your shop."

However, Kingston-upon-Thames Crown Court Judge Tim Lamb QC did not buy the pensioner’s claim he was the sole carer for his wife, meaning a prison term would impact her as well.

“He’s an old hand, he’s got convictions for fraud, he’s been in prison. He knows his way around the system,” said the judge last week.

“Probation have their doubts, I have my doubts about you and I’m making no promises whatsoever,” he told Parkinson. “You could still be going straight inside.” 

He pleaded guilty to causing an affray at John Lewis Opticians, 261 London Road, Mitcham on February 27 and causing £10,000 worth of criminal damage to display cabinets, spectacles and a computer.

Parkinson was a regular customer and entered the opticians at 10am.

He wanted a refund for some glasses and was not happy and said his daughter told him he had paid too much.

Parkinson, who has 243 offences on his record, was told there was no discount due because the frames and lenses had been bought at different times.

The store manager Zaid Shoaib and the consultant refused to budge, causing Parkinson further irritation.

"He was huffing and puffing and his eyes were bulging," said prosecutor Mr. Paul Adams during a previous hearing. "He said: 'I know what I'll do, I'll destroy your shop.'

"He left but returned ten minutes later and said: 'Last chance. Are you going to give me a refund?'

"He picked up a chair and swung it around the store, destroying property including a glass cabinet, which shattered.

"He threw the chair in the direction of Mr. Shoaib and it missed.

"He picked up a glasses tray and threw it and then picked up a computer screen and smashed it."

As he left the scene of destruction Parkinson turned and warned the two men: "You don't know me."

Last week prosecutor Mr. Colin Banham told the court: “He was clearly intoxicated and staggering and was smelling strongly of alcohol.”

Parkinson told police when quizzed: “My head had changed. I went from mellow to feeling hot, my stomach felt hot.”

“He said that he ‘just lost it’ and was sorry about what happened,” added the prosecutor.”

Parkinson’s lawyer Mr. Ben Holt said: “He says there was provocation towards him and homophobic insults.

“He’s incredibly concerned about the prospect of a custodial sentence regarding his responsibilities.

“He has a wife to whom he’s a responsible carer.”

Parkinson claims a serious car crash forty years ago left her brain-damaged.

He was bailed until next month for sentencing.

Triple World Champion Olympic Rower Banned For Drink-Driving

Three-time world rowing champion and double Olympic medalist Alex Partridge was banned from driving yesterday after a short night time police chase while over the drink-drive limit.

The six-foot four 35 year-old had just attended a rowing event when he overtook the officers in his black Audi A4 in Hammersmith at 9pm.

He was dragged out of his vehicle, handcuffed and spent the rest of the evening locked-up in police cells.

The former public schoolboy, who has just bought £800,000 Coombe Cottage, Old Bix Road, Lower Essendon, Henley-on-Thames was disqualified for twelve months.

He was also fined £820, with £85 costs and ordered to pay an £82 victim surcharge.

He pleaded guilty at Hammersmith Magistrates Court to driving in Talgarth Road on October 18 with 56 microgrammes of alcohol in 100 millilitres of breath. 

The legal limit is 35.

Partridge won three world championships in Coxless Four’s in 2005, 2006 and 2009 and clinched an Olympic bronze in Beijing in 2008 and silver at London 2012 in the Eight’s.

He also won two other bronzes and a silver at the world championships.

Following his final world title he was named rowing’s ‘Olympic Athlete of the Year’ and is a member of Leander rowing club, one of the oldest in the world, having been founded near Henley-on-Thames in 1818.

Fellow members include multiple Olympic and world rowing champions Steve Redgrave, Matthew Pinsent and James Cracknell, plus actor Hugh Laurie.

Prosecutor Miss Katie Bryan told the court: “The officers on patrol were overtaken by a vehicle at high speed and gave chase, using flashing lights and tones, but the driver refused to stop.

“The vehicle did stop at the next traffic light and the driver could not account for why he did not stop, saying he always drove that way.

“He smelled of alcohol,” she added, explaining first-time offender Partridge was arrested after failing a roadside test.

His lawyer Mr. Benjamin Waidhofer said: “There are individuals of good character, there are individuals of positive character and then there are individuals like Mr. Partridge.

“One of the few people who makes a real difference to this country.

“That night he was attending a rowing-related event.

“It can only be described as a gross error of judgement that night that at the conclusion of the event he got into his car and drove.

“There was no swerving and although the police officers say he drove fast he stops at the red light and speaks to the officers.

“He was removed from the vehicle forcefully, handcuffed and placed in  the cell for holding.

“This has been a salutary lesson. At the time he was juggling professional commitments.

“He works up and down the country, uses his car for driving and the disqualification effect on him career-wise is yet to be determined.

“It is an early guilty plea, there are a number of individuals that support him. That’s unusual in criminal cases.

“You can see the effect this has had on him and the distress it has caused.

“He continues to be involved in youth development within rowing. Still very much involved in the grass roots of the sport.”

The magistrate told Partridge, who wore a dark blue suit, light blue shirt and red stripes tie: “It’s a serious offence and it does put the public at risk.”

He attended £30,000-a year Monkton Combe, a private boarding school in Bath and attended Oxford Brookes University.

Partridge now works in Reading in the world of financial services as a sales account manager for Invesco Perpetual.

He is a graduate of Henley business school and a former senior associate with global professional services giant PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Ex-Scout Master Accused Of Molesting Four Young Boys In The 70's

An ex-scout master molested four young boys during camping trips, swimming lessons and visits to his garden workshop four decades ago, a jury were told.

Terry Figg, 67, of Cook Road, Stevenage, Hertfordshire preyed on the boys, including two brothers, all aged between ten and fourteen years-old throughout the 1970’s, the court heard.

They were all members of Crofton Oak scout group, based in Orpington, south-east London and it was a BBC documentary concerning abuse within the youth organisation that prompted the complaints against Figg.

He has pleaded not guilty at Croydon Crown Court to fourteen counts of indecently assaulting the boys between April 29, 1970 and December 2, 1980.

Prosecutor Mr. William Eagleton said: “They all took place in either the workshop behind Mr. Figg’s house, where he’d rigged-up a bed and a television, or on camping trips or when swimming in Swanley.”

The first complainant enjoyed working on cars and motorbikes and says he was first groped between the legs in Figg’s workshop.

“Mr. Figg came up behind him and fondled him over his clothing and showed him pornographic pictures.”

The boy was similarly fondled between the legs on  camping trip. “He remembers Mr. Figg reaching down into his sleeping bag and feeling him.”

The jury were told the abuse escalated back at the workshop with Figg encouraging the boy to lie on top of him on the bed as he performed a sex act on the youngster.

“In the swimming pool he remembers Mr. Figg taking hold of him and fondling him over his swimming trunks.”

The complainant reported Figg to The Scout Association in 2009, but it was only after two others reported the defendant following the 2014 documentary that he was contacted by police.

The second complainant claims Figg first molested him during swimming lessons. “He remembers the defendant cupping his genitals and on getting out of the pool pushing his bottom.

“He remembers being shown pornographic pictures and remembers Mr. Figg exposing himself to him.”

The prosecutor said Figg also repeatedly performed a sex act on the boy in the workshop. “That went on for a year or more.”

The third complainant was an off-road vehicle enthusiast. “They would go to trialling events all over the country,” explained Mr. Eagleton.

“Once when camping he woke during the night and Mr. Figg had reached down his sleeping bag and was touching him.”

The jury were told the boy was similarly abused like the others in the workshop as was the fourth complainant.

Figg is also said to have groped him between the legs during a swimming trip.

Figg maintains none of the events occurred and the trial is expected to last two weeks.

Trial continues………….

Finance Boss Of Global Events Company Accused Of Swindling Over Half A Million

The financial controller of a global event management agency, accused of swindling the company out of over half a million pounds, appeared in court for the first time today.

Gwenda Hussey, 53, of Ty Mawr, Llanellen, Abergavenny started off as a book keeper at Q2Q Communications, based at Westminster House, Kew Road, Richmond-upon-Thames.

She appeared at Wimbledon Magistrates Court charged with one count of fraud by abuse of position between May 1, 2010 and November 30, last year with intent to make a gain, namely £544,040.81.

Hussey did not indicate a plea and the magistrates declined jurisdiction, bailing her to appear at Kington-upon-Thames Crown Court for a preliminary hearing on November 29.

NOT GUILTY: Man Installed Secret Camera Over Fears Of Female Flatmate's Oz Move

Innocent: Dean Horn

A flatmate who installed a secret camera in his female sharers bedroom was cleared of voyeurism today because he did not do it for sexual kicks.

Dean Horn, 37, of Cherry Way, Hatfield had no sexual motive, but installed the device because he feared the woman – who snubbed his advances - was emigrating and wanted more info about her plans.

He was found not guilty of one count of voyeurism between May 14 and 16 at the property in Elderfield Place, Tooting in that he installed equipment, with the intention of obtaining sexual gratification by observing another person doing a private act, knowing they did not consent.

Horn provided medical evidence that assisted his case and convinced the court he had genuine deep-rooted fears about her moving away.

The woman did not have to attend the Wimbledon Magistrates Court trial and in a statement confirmed she moved into the address in February, 2014 and knew Horn from her time in Devon.

She was alone in the flat on May 14 and reached for a shoebox on a shelf in her bedroom.

“I saw a small rectangular object pointing directly at my bed. I realised it was a camera and switched it off,” she told police.

The device had a USB socket and the logo had been blacked-out.

She took it to a friend's house and one of the files contained a five to six second clip of her sleeping in bed.

The woman received a text from Horn, who wrote: “I'm sorry. This Australia thing got into my head.

“I got so paranoid you were moving out I went mental. I know I can't repair trust or our friendship after this.”

The woman reported Horn to police, telling them he asked her out on a date a month after she moved in and after declining there was: “awkwardness for a couple of weeks.”

She stated: “It's unlikely I'm going to share a flat with a male again.”

Horn's lawyer Mr. Christopher Pulman said: “The recording device was there to record a conversation rather than images.

“Rather odd decision-making took place to install this device. He has had counselling since and he admits he was behaving rather strangely.


“He felt unable to talk to his room mate about her leaving so sought to record her conversation.

“The defendant gave a full account in interview.”

Prosecutor Miss Jackie Hughes previously told the court: “On May the fourteenth, the victim, a tenant at the same place at 2pm found a black recording device in the corner of her room, pointed at her bed.

“She took it away to be analysed and one of the videos was of her sleeping in bed.”

City Lawyer Denies Slapping Woman's Bottom At Rowing Club's Christmas Party

A City lawyer lifted a woman’s party dress and repeatedly slapped her bottom after drenching her in beer while describing her as an “Australian slut” at the posh rowing club he once captained, a court heard today.

Alastair Main, 35, who has rowed competitively for England, pursued her into the ladies toilet at The London Rowing Club’s Christmas dinner to carry-out the sex attack as she tried to clean herself up, the trial was told.

Prosecutor Mr. Paul Douglas said: “The defendant followed her into the ladies toilet, where she had gone to clean herself up, having had a beer thrown over her by the defendant.

“He pulled her hair and pulled up her skirt and smacked her approximately five times on the backside.

“There is further CCTV footage of a light tap to the bottom on the stairs as she was leaving the premises,” he told Wimbledon Magistrates Court.

This followed an earlier incident that left the 27 year-old woman in fear of Main, who attended £30,000 a year Oratory School, Reading and is currently employed by a global asset management firm, having previously worked for Coutts private bank.

“The beer was poured over her and she was cowering in the office,” said Mr. Douglas. “The defendant is behaving in an aggressive and intimidating way.

“He walks out and repeatedly calls her an: ‘Australian slut’ and pursues her and assaults her again.”

The woman told the court she snubbed Main at the bar when he asked for a hug. “He was kind of leaning on the bar, like he was trying to be affectionate.”

The London Rowing Club 

She told him: “I don’t think so,” and after hearing her plans to continue the evening with another woman he said: “Off to find some men are we?”

The woman told the court: “His demeanour had changed, something had snapped and there was an anger about him.

“He told her to: ‘Get the f*** out’ and at that point Mr. Main poured a beer over me.

“I was drenched, my hair was so wet. In my handbag, my scarf. He called me an: ‘Australian slut.’

“I knew I was going to have to walk back through the room so tied my hair up so it wouldn’t be so obvious.

“There were other members of the club standing in the doorway. I remember feeling humiliated.

“I didn’t want a scene in front of the members. I was terrified he would cause a scene, particularly after calling me an: ‘Australian slut.’”

A member’s wife tried to tell the woman it was a “wonderful evening” as she tried to flee Main, she said.

“I was hoping she would not notice my hair was wet and make-up running down my face.

“Mr. Main came up behind me and pulled my hair and pushed me forward.

“I went to the bathroom to fix myself up. I could hear heavy footsteps coming into the ladies bathroom.

“He appeared and said: ‘Where do you think you’re going?’ He called me a slut again, I don’t remember having breath to say anything because of shock.

“He was pulling my hair, slapping my head and pushing me around.

“He pulled my skirt up, calling me a slut and asking me if I was wearing any knickers.”

She said the slaps to her bottom occurred before her dress was pulled up by Main and she only escaped momentarily when another woman came into the toilet.

“He was slapping me as I tried to get down the stairs and out of the building. My bottom my thighs.”

She told the court a pal of Main’s pulled him off her outside and she kicked-off her shoes to flee.

He continued calling her “slut”, she added and shouted: “You’d better start running ‘cos I’m coming for you.”

Main later messaged her: “It was totally unacceptable, I realise that. I need to sort my life out and stop ruining yours.”

Main, who shares a £900,000 detached home with his wife Rebecca in Cobham Road, Kingston-upon-Thames, denies the claims. 

He has pleaded not guilty to one count of sexually assaulting the woman at the club in Embankment, Putney on December 12, last year and the racially aggravated assault of the woman on the same occasion.

Married Main joined the London Rowing Club (LRC) during the 2005/05 season after rowing competitively for Nottingham University, Notts & Union and Britannia Boat Club.

He was elected captain for the 2013/14 season.

Six-foot plus Main was a national champion in 2003 and represented England at that year’s Home International Regatta.

He retired from competitive rowing in 2006, having won the Thames Cup at the Henley Royal Regatta.

Main is a graduate of the University of Nottingham and Nottingham Law School.

Trial continues……………

Feminist Admits Stalking Left-Wing MP Stella Creasy

Abusive Language: Corinna loughlin

A feminist bombarded Labour MP Stella Creasy with such violent imagery for twenty-one months the politician feared for the safety of herself and her family.

Stalker Corinna Anne Loughlin, 44, turned up at an anti-rape rally the MP attended and would email her about events she attended and what she was wearing.

Loughlin, of The Concourse, Colindale pleaded guilty to stalking the MP between January 1, 2015 and September 16, this year.

Hendon Magistrates Court heard Ms Creasy, the MP for Walthamstow, was bombarded with emails and letters at her Waltham Forest Labour Party Office.

Loughlin told the police she began emailing the Sutton Coldfield-born politician in support of her campaign to have author Jane Austen on the back of the new £5 note, but the communication got out of hand.

“The complainant Stella Creasy began receiving emails from Corinna Loughlin approximately two years ago and they came from different email addresses,” said prosecutor Miss Balbir Suri.

“The emails caused concern due to the nature of the language and the content, which included delusional thoughts about harming other people.

“The MP received emails almost everyday and sometimes five or six a day and they often contained abusive language towards other public figures.

“She also described Ms Creasy’s public appearances and what she was wearing, making the MP believe she was monitoring her closely.”

Death threats were made about well-known individuals, including musician Mark Ronson, and Loughlin also wrote: “I really need some f***ing money.”

She turned her attention to another individual she described as a: “Fat ugly queer.”

The MP never replied, hoping to discourage Loughlin, but the emails torrent continued.

“She felt harassed by the sheer number of emails and distressed by the violent language,” added Miss Suri.

Loughlin went to a rally outside the Indian embassy in June, which the MP also attended. 

“Loughlin began sending emails mentioning other members of Ms Creasy’s family she had met outside the embassy.

“Ms Creasy felt Loughlin was fixated on her life and family and was a person with violent tendencies who may attend her office or other events, making her feel vulnerable.”

She was arrested on September 16. “She apologised and said she meant Stella Creasy no harm.

“She said she had followed Ms Creasy’s because she was a feminist, as she was, and would now follow a real feminist, Theresa May.

“It is clear to see the escalation of the stalking and the nature of these messages were clearly disturbing.”

In a statement to police the MP said: “She was delusional about harming other people and made me fear for my safety. The language used was distressing.”

Loughlin was bailed to return for sentencing on November 28 after the completion of a pre-sentence and psychiatric report.

Her lawyer, of Ullah Law Associates, who refused to give her name, told the court: “She was suffering from a breakdown.

“She was clearly not herself and this morning she found it very, very difficult and finds this embarrassing.

“She is remorseful and the court needs to know her state of mind and what she was suffering.

“Looking back now she is upset that she would do that.”

The prosecution are seeking a restraining order against Loughlin who cannot contact the MP or enter the London Borough of Waltham Forest as conditions of bail. 

Pensioner Fined For Spraying Next-Door's Builder

A pensioner who lives in a £1.6m semi-detached house has been fined for assaulting a builder working on a neighbouring home he sprayed with a garden hose.

Lawrence Barclay, 73, of Kew Foot Road, Richmond found himself charged and ordered to appear before Wimbledon Magistrates Court, where he pleaded not guilty to the allegations.

Yesterday he was fined a total of £120 after he was convicted of two counts of assaulting Thomas Hilson outside his next-door neighbour's home on June 27 and 30.

Before the trial he had been banned from contacting any members of staff of contractors Stainsby, who had upset him during work next-door last summer.

School Burglar Nicked Three Laptops

A burglar, who smashed a school's door window with a brick and helped himself to three laptops, is being hunted by police in east London.

Detectives from Newham Borough investigating the burglary at have issued CCTV footage of a man they wish to identify in connection with the incident.

On Thursday, March 24 police were called at around 2.10am after a security guard reported the burglary at Southern Road Primary School, Eastern Road, Plaistow.

The burglary was reported to have occurred around 15 minutes earlier.

CCTV outside the school caught the moment the suspect picked up a brick, threw it at the lower half of the door to smash the glass and break in.

Minutes later the suspect was seen by a security guard jump over the fence into Southern Road.

Various cupboards and trolleys were opened and it was discovered that three laptops had been stolen.

The suspect is described as a man wearing a dark hooded jacket with his hood up.

Police are keen to hear from anyone who may recognise this man shown on CCTV or who can assist with the investigation.

Anyone with any information is asked to contact police on 101 or quoting reference number 213724 or Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111.

No arrests, enquiries continue.

Passenger Punched Off Bus By Boozy Thug

Police are hunting a boozy thug, who punched another passenger off the late-night bus they were travelling on.

At approximately 11.20pm on Friday, February 5 the suspect boarded a number 93 bus, travelling from Wimbledon to Morden.

He sat on the lower deck where he began drinking from a can of lager.

After a short time he struck up a conversation with the victim, 46, who was standing by the rear door getting ready to get off.

Suddenly and for no apparent reason, the suspect punched the man in the face.

This was with such force the victim fell backwards off the bus and into the street in London Road, Morden.

The attack continued on the pavement before the suspect ran away.

The victim was taken to hospital where he required stitches for injuries to his face.

The suspect is described as white, aged between 20 and 25 years-old, of slim build, about 5ft 5inches tall with dark hair.

He was wearing light coloured jeans, ‘Nike’ trainers, a dark coloured jacket with a fur-rimmed hood and a dark patterned rucksack.

Anyone with information is asked to call PC Jonathan Weller from the Roads and Transport Policing Command on 07771797643.

To remain anonymous call Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111.

Women's Lottery-Funded Charity Boss Admits Nicking Thousands Of Pounds

The boss of a National Lottery-funded women’s charity admitted defrauding the organisation of thousands of pounds when she appeared in court yesterday.

Ruth Hiscock, 37, was the co-ordinator of Harrow Women’s Centre, which in February 2014 secured five years of lottery money after the local council removed their £68,000 grant.

When originally charged Hiscock, of The Gables, North Orbital Road, Watford was accused of taking £40,497.67, but she insists the figure is lower.

She pleaded guilty at Harrow Crown Court to one count of fraud by abuse of position between December 31, 2012 and April 24, last year.

Judge Martyn Barklem released the first-time offender until November 15 for a pre-sentence report on condition she does not contact anyone at the centre and resides at her address.

“You have pleaded guilty to a serious offence,” he told her. “You must not read anything into the fact I’m granting you bail.”

The centre, based in Andrew Close, Bessborough Road, Harrow describes itself as providing, for over twenty years, a safe place for women in need, hardship and distress.

It provides support and counselling, including mental health assistance and legal advice and has thirty-two qualified counsellors, plus volunteers.

Hiscock is also the former director of Harrow Community Action Ltd.

Neighbour Jailed For Fake Facebook Frame-Up Bid

Andrew Currie & Joanna Goodwin

A neighbour-from-hell, who set up a fake hate-filled Facebook account to frame a long-suffering resident a few doors away, has been jailed for ten months.

Scotsman Andrew Currie, 48, was the author of postings made in the name of 57 year-old Andrew Small, who he tried to have arrested and prosecuted.

Currie, who lives off disability benefits, was angered by his neighbour leading a successful battle against a council parking scheme in their South Croydon street.

He pleaded guilty to perverting the course of justice between April 5 and August 7, 2014 by falsely claiming Mr. Small had made the Facebook insults.

His partner, mother-of-five Joanna Goodwin, 41, who lives with him in Newark Road was also arrested and charged with the same offence, but this was dropped by the prosecution.

Croydon Crown Court heard police were on the brink of arresting Mr. Small, a project manager in the construction industry, of Newark Road, until one officer became suspicious.

Prosecutor Miss Kate Lumsden said: “He set up a Facebook account in the name of neighbour Mr. Small, who is purportedly abusing Mr. Currie.”

Andrew Small & wife Annie 

The account was opened the day after Mr. Small’s PA wife, Annie, 57, was abused by Currie’s children in the street and the police called.

“The next day Mr. Currie attended the front desk of Croydon Police Station to complain about a Facebook page in the name of Mr. Small.”

Entries, supposedly made by the victim, described the Currie’s as a “spastic family”, “inbred”, and threatened to poison their two dogs with anti-freeze.

There were also threats to set the Currie’s house on fire to get them out of the street, plus calls that the “KKK are needed in Croydon.”

The page also said Mr. Small “hates disabled people”, thinks “mixed-race children should be a crime” and enjoys spying on his neighbours in their showers.

“An arrest warrant was issued for Mr. Small, but one officer examined a Freedom of Information request from the victim and saw how well-written it was in comparison.”

Jailed: Andrew Currie

Currie’s bogus Facebook account even used an internet photo of Mr. Small taken by the local newspaper a year before when he complained of a local hate campaign against him.

“Mr. Currie demanded that Mr. Small be immediately arrested and told the police it was a waste of time to investigate the internet IP address of the posts.”

However, officers successfully applied to Facebook for details of the account and arrested Currie, who denied everything, on August 6, 2014.

“The victims found it extremely distressing and don’t feel they can go about their business without being harassed by Mr. Currie and his family.

“They find it intolerable and Mr. Small’s wife is suffering from stress,” added Miss Lumsden.

They have fitted CCTV outside their smart £425,000 home and hope the Currie’s housing association landlord’s will move the family on.

Ex-jailbird Currie was once convicted of a similar crime in his twenties, when he tried to have an innocent person blamed for criminal offences.

His lawyer Thomas Quinn told the court: “He was in a bad place and took it out on his neighbours over a short period of time. It was very amateurish.

“It is very easy to set up a Facebook account and was detected very easily. He’s not a sophisticated person.”

Judge Daniel Flahive told Currie: “You falsely claimed Mr. Small set up a Facebook account and made abusive remarks to you, your family and other people.

“It is not amateurish, it was quite sophisticated and took a bit of time to do.

“Your offending has had a great effect on your neighbours and you expressed little remorse in your pre-sentence report.

“Anyone who makes false allegations to the police and asks for the arrest of others must receive a prison sentence.”

A restraining order was made, which prevents Currie contacting Andrew and Annie and as she left court his partner Goodwin told the couple: “I hope you’re happy now.”

Afterwards Mr. Small said: “He’s a sociopath and it has been going on for years. He won’t learn and will just carry on hurting people.

“He has intimidated a lot of people and is a fantasist. It has escalated and escalated and escalated.

“He is  unemployed and hangs around all day and knows our routine inside out. It is a nightmare scenario.

“He has got two big dogs and hangs over his front fence all day and has made a lot of people move.”

Mr. Small, who is currently on a sabbatical from work with stress, said he led community opposition to the council’s planned controlled parking zone in 2010.

Currie petitioned for the zone, even though he has his own disabled parking space. “He probably saw us as a gang against him because he always feels victimised.

“They walk past and look through the window and she’s still there and we could bump into her at the doctor’s or in Croydon.

“For us it is not over. She’s still there and harbours this hate and it is still causing us great stress and impacting our lives.”

The couple say Currie and Goodwin have reported them to the police multiple times with false complaints.

These include an allegation Mr. Small threatened Currie with a brick and was going to burn his house down when seen in the street with a petrol can for his lawnmower.