Man jailed for harassing and abusing neighbour

James Dickson has been jailed for 13 months

A man who harassed his neighbour and caused £15,000 worth of damage to her car with a baseball bat has been jailed for 13 months.

James Dickson, 39, of Crocus Way, Yaxley, Peterborough, was convicted of criminal damage in May and handed a restraining order which prohibited him from contacting his neighbour.

Yet from May to July he continued to verbally abuse his victim over a garden fence, blamed her for his conviction and called her a “low life”.

Officers arrested him and in police interview Dickson admitted he had breached his restraining order. He was released on bail with conditions not to go near Larch Close in Peterborough.

On 9 August he appeared outside the victim’s home and yelled abuse. He knocked on the woman's door and used a brick to smash her car lights, wing mirrors and panels.

Officers arrested Dickson and in a police interview he said there was “no excuse doing what he did” and added he had been intoxicated.

At Peterborough Crown Court on 27 November, Dickson was jailed after pleading guilty to two counts of harassment, breaching a restraining order and criminal damage.

PC Dan Green, from Cambridgeshire Constabulary, said: “Dickson pursued a sustained campaign of harassment towards his neighbour, which led to her feeling unsafe in her own home and put her through a great deal of stress.

“I am very pleased the seriousness of his offences have been recognised with this custodial sentence. Harassment of any kind will not be tolerated.”