Stalking accused tells court she was the victim

Susan Chen, 61, and her daughter Linda Lu, 35, are on trial at Lincoln Crown Court

A woman accused of harassing her next door neighbours in a Lincolnshire village told a jury that she was the real victim.

Susan Chen, 61, and her daughter Linda Lu, 35, of Linga Lane in Bassingham, deny a charge of stalking causing serious alarm and distress to James Smith and his wife, Lynn Smith.

The prosecution allege they filmed and shouted verbal abuse towards the Smiths and made excessive noise, including playing loud music and "metallic banging".

Ms Chen, who is defending herself, told Lincoln Crown Court Mr Smith had CCTV cameras covering her home.

She showed the jury a number of photographs which she said demonstrated her point.

"Our back windows are in his range 24/7", Ms Chen told the jury.

"Who is stalking who, who is more relentless?".

Ms Chen said she was also aware of "three or four" recording devices belonging to Mr Smith and told jurors he was frequently in his back garden wearing headphones.

She alleged Mr Smith had also placed recording devices in her own home.

The first interaction between the Smiths and the defendants is alleged to have involved a dispute over a front hedge on 18 July 2023.

Mr Smith had gone out to trim the hedge, which was in-between his property and that of his neighbours.

It is alleged he was met by Ms Chen, who objected to him cutting the hedge, and Ms Lu, who was "threatening him with legal action from an upstairs window".

The stalking is alleged to have taken place in the village of Bassingham in 2023

Footage filmed by Mrs Smith showed Ms Chen and Ms Lu complaining about the hedge cutting.

The jury heard Ms Chen had made a number of inquiries with her letting agent about who was responsible for maintaining the hedge.

Ms Chen said her then husband also had a number of conversations with Mr Smith and it was agreed that they (Ms Chen) would maintain the hedge.

"That is why my then husband had to buy a new trimmer," Ms Chen explained.

Ms Chen alleged the hedge incident was a conspiracy to try and "put her away."

"The police were on standby," Ms Chen said.

Jurors heard Ms Chen's husband left the property after the incident involving the hedge and they are now separated.

The trial continues.

Listen to highlights from Lincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch the latest episode of Look North or tell us about a story you think we should be covering here.