20 August 2023 , 17:38
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A woman who lives in a cemetery has sparked a neighbourly row after installing a blaring alarm system.
Those who want to grieve loved ones are met with an unwelcome surprise at Dalry Cemetery, Edinburgh, after IT consultant Philippa Berry installed a noisy siren on her property at the entrance of the cemetery - to keep away a group she accuses of harassment.
Ms Berry bought the lodge from the local council in 2016, and has since become embroiled in a harassment case against local man Jakob Assarsson - against whom she obtained a sheriff court order this month. Called an interim interdict, the order bans Mr Assarsson from going near Ms Berry’s home.
Mr Assarsson runs the Friends of Dalry Cemetery, a community group which voluntarily cleans up the grounds. Ms Berry has accused not only Mr Assarsson but the entire group of harassment, and linked a CCTV system to the alarm - meaning it blares any time someone walks within a certain distance. The range of the CCTV is believed to have been recently extended.
Jakob Assarsson is part of Friends of Dalry Cemetery, who look after the parkMourner Ian Hunter, a retired engineer who regularly visits his late mother Margaret at her resting place since 2021, said he was “horrified” to learn about the siren. Ian, 72, who lives in Kettering, Northamptonshire, said he was “extremely concerned” about the “totally unwarranted siren noise emitted when one enters or leaves the cemetery”.
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He added: “I find this distressing and completely at odds with what one expects at a cemetery. How can this noise nuisance be allowed to continue to disturb what should be peaceful green surroundings? People should not have to walk into a cemetery and have a siren howling at them. Its only purpose seems to be to annoy people.”
Ms Berry said: “The siren CCTV camera on my house, above my gate, is for the prevention and detection of crime. There has been no official complaint made from the council’s noise department. In 2019 there was a theft from the cellar and attempted break-in to my house. This was reported to the police and they advised CCTV cameras.
Ms Berry bought the lodge house from the council (Sunday Mail)
She has set up 'no trespassing' signs on the gate (Sunday Mail)
Ms Berry accuses the Friends of Dalry Cemetery of 'harassment' (Sunday Mail)“In May 2021 I installed more CCTV cameras, as there had been issues with people putting dog waste through the gates of my private driveway. There have also been recent thefts from the cemetery.”
Berry obtained the interim interdict against Assarsson on August 9 and it was continued last Thursday at a hearing at Edinburgh Sheriff Court. Assarsson said he is defending the action against him. He has set up a GoFundMe page to pay his legal fees and more than £4100 has been donated so far.
Assarsson, who runs a printing business, said: “Dalry Cemetery is public land but Ms Berry treats it like an extension of her private property. She installed a loud exterior siren which has no security function for her house but goes off when anyone walks through the main cemetery gates.
“It’s been going off hundreds of times a day for the past two years. It stops people walking their dogs or sitting quietly watching the wildlife and it’s deeply upsetting for families visiting graves.”
City of Edinburgh Council said due the legal proceedings “it would be inappropriate to comment at this time”. The police said they are “engaging with all parties”, adding: “No criminality has been identified. We received a report of alleged harassment which is being assessed.”