Woman left 'feeling like a prisoner' in her flat due to violent neighbour's threats

The woman said she suffered insomnia and had “no quality of life” because of the abuse from Gareth Richards, who lived next door in a row flats above shops in Ferrybridge.

Leeds Crown Court heard that Richards, aged 43, was already on a civil inunction taken out by the woman in February to keep him away from her. But in April he was overheard shouting obscenities towards the woman, who came out of her flat to confront him.

She recorded the conversation which was subsequently played the court by prosecutor Jade Edwards. During the four-letter tirade of abuse he accused her of not picking up after her dog, calling her a “f***** c***”.

On the evening of April 20, the woman was home alone in bed when she heard an argument between Richards and his partner. The woman was so afraid she called the police.

Richards was later seen gesturing towards the woman’s external CCTV camera in an angry fashion. He then broke her washing line on the shared balcony area to the rear of the shops on High Street, Ferrybridge. He was heard shouting that it was “all the woman’s fault” that the police were there and that he “going to get her”, Miss Edwards said.

Richards has 15 previous convictions for 24 offences, including an attack on a previous neighbour in which he broke his jaw. He received a two-year jail sentence, suspended for two years, in March of last year.

His latest offences put him in breach of this. He admitted this, along with harassment, using threatening words or behaviour and criminal damage.

Mitigating, Lily Wildman said Richards would benefit with work with probation, and had been in custody on remand for more than two months. She said that gaps in his record showed that he could stay out of trouble.

The judge, Recorder Ashley Serr, told Richards: “Your behaviour has made her life extremely difficult. She talks about being isolated and afraid to go out and being scared to live in her own home. This warrants an immediate custodial sentence.”

He jailed him for 10 months in total, and gave him an indefinite-length restraining order to stop him making contact with the victim.