Couple terrorised by neighbour who sprayed them with hose and trampled plants
A pensioner terrorised her neighbours by spraying them with a hose, killing their plants and making foul-mouthed threats.
Barbera Minns, 76, breached four restraining orders and committed criminal damage despite previous convictions for making neighbours' lives miserable.
But she was spared immediate jail, as her six-month sentence was suspended for one year.
Minns' neighhours, Adele Richards and Gary Authers, have suffered at her hands for seven years, Truro Crown Court was told.
A restraining order was first made in 2018 then revised in 2022 and prevents Minns from contacting Ms Richards and Mr Authers and entering their garden or loitering outside of it, reports Cornwall Live.
Man in 30s dies after being stabbed in park sparking police probe
Adele Richards and Gary Authers suffered for years at the hands of Minns (SWNS)The first incident of the latest batch of offending took place on July 11 last year when Minns played loud music and then when the couple were out she dumped leaves into their garden hitting their cat.
Later, she stared at them for quite some time before shouting at Ms Richards and calling her a b*tch among other insults.
Then on August 3, Ms Richards returned home and heard Minns shouting "f*** you Adele". Minns then poured a sticky substance on plants in Ms Richards' garden.
The following day Minns again glared at Ms Richards and shouted at her when she went inside. When Ms Richards went out Minns shouted again and sprayed water at her, this incident going on for some hours.
On October 8 Ms Cook stated how Minns played loud music until the couple went out when she again sprayed their plants with liquid. She put her fingers up shouting "f*ck you Adele". Chillingly Minns then started a bonfire and threatened to "burn it down".
The criminal damage charge took place on April 3 of this year when Minns entered the couple's garden and damaged plants by trampling on them.
Barbera threatened to burn the couple's garden after she lit a bonfire (SWNS)Ms Cook said Ms Richards and Mr Authers' lives "are a living nightmare" and that they "just want it to stop". Ms Cook said: "They live in constant fear and are having to change their daily lives. This has affected their quality of life."
Representing Minns, Francesca Whebell said: "She has suffered a recent breakdown and although she has tried endlessly to get help and support she has fallen through the cracks. She knows she's unwell but is unable to access the help she needs."
Sentencing Minns, Recorder Matthew Turner said that Minns' neighbours "are thoroughly ground down by your behaviour". He listed the recent offences before noting Minns' complex PTSD, her emotionally unstable personality disorder and her chronic fatigue syndrome.
He said: "Your needs could be met by adult social care. It is clear you need assistance and recognise it yourself. This can only be done in the community."
Russian model killed after calling Putin a 'psychopath' was strangled by her ex
Read more similar news:
Comments:
comments powered by Disqus
