User:Spiney

Stop harassing the neighbours' order Court told of fires, threats and abuse

A HUDDERSFIELD man has been ordered to stop annoying his neighbours.

Andrew Kelly was made subject to an interim anti-social behaviour order (Asbo) when he appeared at Huddersfield Magistrates' Court on Tuesday.

Kirklees Council asked for the order against Kelly, 34, of Manchester Road, after allegations that he lit fires at night and harassed his neighbours with smoke and abusive behaviour.

The interim order will last until Friday, when the magistrates will consider an application by Kirklees for a permanent Asbo.

Kelly is now banned from causing harassment, alarm or distress and is also not allowed to use threatening, abusive or insulting words or behaviour.

He is not allowed to incite others to commit these offences.

Kelly cannot damage property, assault anyone or threaten them, physically or verbally.

Finally, he is banned from lighting fires or causing a smoke nuisance.

If he does any of these things, he can be arrested for breaching his Asbo.

Mr Geoff Bell, of Kirklees Legal Services, presented magistrates with a dossier of accusations made against Kelly by his neighbours.

Mr Bell detailed eight incidents and said the complainants were elderly people, who felt threatened.

The first incident was on March 2 this year, when Kelly allegedly played his music loudly and swore at neighbours when they asked him to be quiet.

Between April 15 and June 6 he is said to have burned rubbish in a communal washing area outside his house, causing a smoke nuisance to his neighbours.

Kelly is also said to have been verbally aggressive to his elderly female neighbour and others living nearby, swearing, threatening violence and saying he would put a brick through a window.

He was then absent from home until the end of August, when Mr Bell said his nuisance behaviour recurred.

On August 28 and 29, two neighbours said he had verbally threatened them and swore at them through his window.

Mr Bell said: "It is necessary to protect the public."

Kelly was represented by Neil Murphy, but represented himself after his solicitor was called away on business.

Kelly - who will contest the Kirklees application for a full Asbo - denied starting any fires.

He said other people in the area started fires, including burning down a 10ft wooden pyramid he had built in his garden.

Kelly said: "I swear on this Bible that I didn't light any fires. I can't say who did, but I can say it was not me. I built that pyramid with a lot of care. I was upset and shocked."

He said claims about his behaviour were exaggerated and it was "six of one and half a dozen of the other".

He added: "It is a witch-hunt, because of a difference in religious beliefs.

"I'm the person they want to blame. It's all exaggerated. If they are fine with me, I am fine with them."