Man caused £15,000 of damage taking a baseball bat to a neighbours car near Peterborough has been jailed
James Dickson is said to have been on a campaign of harassment
Last updated 2nd Dec 2024
A man from near Peterborough who smashed a neighbour's car with a baseball bat and brick has been jailed.
James Dickson who's 39 and of Crocus Way, near Peterborough caused £15,000 worth of damage, in what's been described as a campaign of harassment.
At Cambridge Crown Court he was sentenced to one year and one month having pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment, breaching a restraining order and criminal damage.
Cambridgeshire Constabulary handed Dickson a restraining order prohibiting him from contacting his neighbour in Larch Close, in May.
However, since then to July, he's said to have continued to hurl abuse at the victim over his garden fence, blaming her for his conviction and calling her a “low life”.
He also knocked on his own upstairs window to get the woman’s attention.
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.
However, on August 9th, just a couple of weeks before he was due to appear in court, he appeared outside the victim’s home, yelling abuse again.
He repeatedly knocked on her door and used a brick to smash her car lights, wing mirrors and panels.
Another neighbour approached Dickson and told him to stop, which he did, before throwing the brick to the ground.
Officers arrested Dickson and in interview he said there was “no excuse doing what he did” and added he had been slightly intoxicated.
At Cambridge Crown Court on Thursday (28 November), Dickson was jailed for a year and one month after pleading guilty to two counts of harassment, breaching a restraining order and criminal damage.
PC Dan Green, who investigated, 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.”