redkite
11-08-10, 10:28 AM
www.eveningnews24.co.uk (http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk) - EveningNews24 - 11-Aug-2010
Norwich man accused of harassing neighbours (http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/eveningnews24/norwich-news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=xNews&itemid=NOED11%20Aug%202010%2008%3A02%3A57%3A650)
DAVID BALE (david.bale2@archant.co.uk)
A terrorised couple kept a log listing 30 occasions when their neighbour had verbally abused them or called them paedophiles, a court heard.
Kevin Howes, 53, from Langley Walk, off Old Palace Road, Norwich, is accused of harassing neighbour Janet Fairhead and her partner John Wright between July last year and March. He denies the allegations.
Norwich Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Mrs Fairhead's log started on July 13 last year when she said Howes shouted at her 'You look more like a scrubber than ever'.
Philip Alcock, prosecuting, said the abuse increased this year with Howes using foul and abusive language against the couple, both separately and together, calling Mr Wright a fat so-and-so, and calling them paedophiles.
Mr Alcock said: “It's a serious and very unusual case because of the sheer persistence of the time it continued over.”
The court also heard that excrement had been left on the couple's front door, parking tickets for someone else's car had been sent to them and they had once received five takeaway meals they had not ordered. However, Howes had not been charged with these offences and the court was told there was no evidence he was responsible.
Giving evidence, Mrs Fairhead, who is a cleaner and also lives in Langley Walk, said police had told her to start a log after she had previously accused Howes of other offences, such as damaging their car and texting them, which he had not been charged with.
She told the court: “His conduct has made a lot of difference to my life. I just want it to stop and to lead a normal life.
“When I get home from work I just lock myself in. I don't want to go outside any more when I'm home.
“The only time I feel comfortable is on Wednesdays when he's on the market. I feel like a prisoner in my own home.”
She said she recorded in her log each case that happened to her or her partner and also called the police.
“Every time either of us came home he seemed to be in his kitchen and shouting abuse at us from the window,” she said. “He seemed to know what time we would get home.”
She became frightened, she said, the first time Howes called her a paedophile.
“This upset me and put me on edge. Howes said that he had been down to Hemsby (where the couple have a caravan) and had found out we were paedophiles.
“There was no cause for it at all and it was humiliating. It made me feel nervous and I wanted to know why he was calling me names.
“We did not deserve to be called names. He always did it with aggression, but never when there were any witnesses about. He said we should be locked up.”
She said she did not know why Howes was harassing them or why he called them paedophiles.
Howes' barrister Alan Wheetman said in cross-examination that his client had denied any of the allegations, and that he and the couple had once been quite friendly.
But the relationship had cooled after the couple asked Howes to look after their bungalow while they went away.
Mr Wheetman said the couple had found on their return that several phone calls had been made from their phone and assumed Howes had used it, although they did not confront him over the accusation.
Mrs Fairhead, however, admitted in cross-examination that on one occasion Howes had come to their rescue and chased a man down the street after he had banged on their door.
She said that she had previously reported Howes to the police for damaging their car and texting them, but no charge had ever been made.
Mr Wheetman said: “It's Mr Howes' case that none of these incidents happened. All these allegations of using foul language and banging on windows, he says he has not done it.”
Mrs Fairhead said she had not asked Howes why he was calling them paedophiles because she did not want to speak to him.
Mr Wheetman suggested to her that she and her partner did not get on well with everybody in the street, which she admitted.
Mr Wright, a self-employed decorator, also gave evidence and told the court he wanted the matters to stop.
He said he had never been arrested or investigated for paedophilia, and had no idea why Howes was harassing them.
He said: “The stress has affected my asthma. I cannot explain why he's doing it.”
The trial continues.
Norwich man accused of harassing neighbours (http://www.eveningnews24.co.uk/content/eveningnews24/norwich-news/story.aspx?brand=ENOnline&category=News&tBrand=ENOnline&tCategory=xNews&itemid=NOED11%20Aug%202010%2008%3A02%3A57%3A650)
DAVID BALE (david.bale2@archant.co.uk)
A terrorised couple kept a log listing 30 occasions when their neighbour had verbally abused them or called them paedophiles, a court heard.
Kevin Howes, 53, from Langley Walk, off Old Palace Road, Norwich, is accused of harassing neighbour Janet Fairhead and her partner John Wright between July last year and March. He denies the allegations.
Norwich Magistrates' Court heard yesterday that Mrs Fairhead's log started on July 13 last year when she said Howes shouted at her 'You look more like a scrubber than ever'.
Philip Alcock, prosecuting, said the abuse increased this year with Howes using foul and abusive language against the couple, both separately and together, calling Mr Wright a fat so-and-so, and calling them paedophiles.
Mr Alcock said: “It's a serious and very unusual case because of the sheer persistence of the time it continued over.”
The court also heard that excrement had been left on the couple's front door, parking tickets for someone else's car had been sent to them and they had once received five takeaway meals they had not ordered. However, Howes had not been charged with these offences and the court was told there was no evidence he was responsible.
Giving evidence, Mrs Fairhead, who is a cleaner and also lives in Langley Walk, said police had told her to start a log after she had previously accused Howes of other offences, such as damaging their car and texting them, which he had not been charged with.
She told the court: “His conduct has made a lot of difference to my life. I just want it to stop and to lead a normal life.
“When I get home from work I just lock myself in. I don't want to go outside any more when I'm home.
“The only time I feel comfortable is on Wednesdays when he's on the market. I feel like a prisoner in my own home.”
She said she recorded in her log each case that happened to her or her partner and also called the police.
“Every time either of us came home he seemed to be in his kitchen and shouting abuse at us from the window,” she said. “He seemed to know what time we would get home.”
She became frightened, she said, the first time Howes called her a paedophile.
“This upset me and put me on edge. Howes said that he had been down to Hemsby (where the couple have a caravan) and had found out we were paedophiles.
“There was no cause for it at all and it was humiliating. It made me feel nervous and I wanted to know why he was calling me names.
“We did not deserve to be called names. He always did it with aggression, but never when there were any witnesses about. He said we should be locked up.”
She said she did not know why Howes was harassing them or why he called them paedophiles.
Howes' barrister Alan Wheetman said in cross-examination that his client had denied any of the allegations, and that he and the couple had once been quite friendly.
But the relationship had cooled after the couple asked Howes to look after their bungalow while they went away.
Mr Wheetman said the couple had found on their return that several phone calls had been made from their phone and assumed Howes had used it, although they did not confront him over the accusation.
Mrs Fairhead, however, admitted in cross-examination that on one occasion Howes had come to their rescue and chased a man down the street after he had banged on their door.
She said that she had previously reported Howes to the police for damaging their car and texting them, but no charge had ever been made.
Mr Wheetman said: “It's Mr Howes' case that none of these incidents happened. All these allegations of using foul language and banging on windows, he says he has not done it.”
Mrs Fairhead said she had not asked Howes why he was calling them paedophiles because she did not want to speak to him.
Mr Wheetman suggested to her that she and her partner did not get on well with everybody in the street, which she admitted.
Mr Wright, a self-employed decorator, also gave evidence and told the court he wanted the matters to stop.
He said he had never been arrested or investigated for paedophilia, and had no idea why Howes was harassing them.
He said: “The stress has affected my asthma. I cannot explain why he's doing it.”
The trial continues.