Last updated at 14:09, Friday, 30 July 2010

A BULLYING neighbour targeted a man with learning difficulties and subjected him to months of hell.

For three months Neil Nevinson verbally abused Colin Stables, calling him a “freak”, and an “idiot” and threatened to give him “a good kicking.”

The 48-year-old defendant denied harassment and said his manner was aggressive but that was just the way he was. He admitted he had words with the victim because he was being kept awake by Mr Stables switching a light switch on and off for up to three hours at a time.

Prosecutor, Mr David Mellor, told Furness Magistrates’ Court yesterday that Nevinson moved into a flat in Ainslie Dale Road, Dalton, opposite Mr Stables’ home on Broughton Road.

The flats shared a communal entrance and one wall joined the two homes together.

He said: “Colin Stables has learning difficulties. He has lived in the flat since 2006. Mr Nevinson moved there a few months before this trouble started.

“Since January Mr Nevinson’s behaviour has had an extreme affect on Mr Stables.

“In late January Mr Stables was asleep in bed about 3am when he heard Mr Nevinson shout ‘I’ll give you some advice. Next time I see you at the bus stop you had better run, fat boy. I’m going to kick your head in.’

“In early February he leaned out of his flat window when Mr Stables was going to work and shouted ‘I’m sick of you flicking your lights on and off and tapping on the wall. I’ll be waiting for you when you get home and I’ll give you a good kicking.’”

Mr Mellor said the victim made a complaint to the police and the defendant was issued with a warning under the Harassment Act.

The prosecutor told the court how police described Nevinson as being aggressive, abusive and obstructive.

Officers said he described Mr Stables as a “freak”, among other things.

In the early hours of the next day, Nevinson shouted through the wall: “I’ll be waiting for you in the morning, fat boy.”

Mr Mellor continued: “Mr Stables was so scared he went to his mother’s house.

“The next incident was on March 2 when the defendant came back at night. He shouted ‘I’m back, you faggot. You know what I mean.’ He then slammed the door of his flat and turned the TV on loud, before shouting ‘gay boy, I’m going to bed now.’

“The following day the council and the police became involved and Mr Stables asked Mr Nevinson if they could talk and try to sort the situation out. Mr Nevinson told him to stop switching the light switch on and off but Mr Stables said he hadn’t been and was there any other problem? Mr Nevinson then said: ‘if I had a problem with you I would sort it out myself and get a couple of mates around to sort it.’”

He added that the final straw was when Nevinson told Mr Stables that he was going to kick his door in and next time he called the police make sure he called an ambulance too.

He was arrested on March 30 and charged with harassment between January 1 and March 30, 2010.

Giving evidence from behind a screen, because he feared the defendant, Mr Stables said Nevinson’s actions had left him feeling very scared.

The victim’s human resources manager at Colony Gift Corporation, in Lindal, explained how Mr Stables became a shadow of his former self.

Jemma Rawlings told the court he had worked for the company since 2005 and was a model employee, with just one day off sick in all that time: “He was never late and just keeps his head down and works hard. Since these incidents started he became a changed person. His line managers were coming to me as they were worried. He was terrible, breaking down in work, crying and trembling if anyone spoke to him. He was the total opposite of what he normally was. I contacted the police and council when he told me what was happening, and the police came to speak to him.

“It’s only because we are such a close company that we picked up on the reason for his lack of productivity. If we weren’t all close he could have ended up being punished without us knowing the full facts.

“Since he has been moved he is a different person who no longer trembles when he talks to people. He just wants this out of the way and to carry on with his life.”

As the only defence witness Nevinson denied any wrongdoing.

Taking the stand the defendant said: “Why would I call him fat? The boy’s not fat in my eyes. I have never said anything to him like has been said.

“I have had words with him during the day about switching the lights on and off but I have never shouted at him.

“I have only spoken to him twice and he told me he was testing the switches and it wouldn’t happen any more.”

Mr Andrew Gibson, defending, asked: “You admit you have had words but not argued with him?”

Nevinson answered: “I may have shouted at him, but I never threatened him. Shouting is an everyday occurrence to me.

“That’s just the way I am.”

Magistrates were told that he was handing back his keys to his Dalton property yesterday (29) and moving to a house in Emlyn Street, Barrow.

Magistrates found him guilty beyond reasonable doubt and gave him with a year-long community order with a 12 month restraining order.

He was given a three month curfew from 7pm until 7am and ordered to pay £250 compensation and £100 costs.

First published at 13:02, Friday, 30 July 2010
Published by http://www.nwemail.co.uk