'Poisonous' Wakefield neighbour sprayed urine over woman in long-running hate campaign
A neighbour who sprayed urine over his next-door neighbour while she was in her garden has been spared jail - after moving away.
Stephen Gammon was told by a judge at Leeds Crown Court that he would have been taken into custody, if it were not for the sale of his property on Long Row in Sharlston, Wakefield.
It was heard that the woman had suffered for four years at the hands of Gammon, who was even given a restraining order in 2022 to prevent his spiteful behaviour.
The 57-year-old appeared in court this week admitting breaching the order.
Prosecutor Emily Thorbjornsen said that on May 31 last year the woman was in her garden when she detected a strong smell of urine, and turned to see Gammon stood spraying from his upstairs bedroom window.
When he saw her looking, he ducked back into the room, but then appeared again and said “hello” and that he was just watering his plants.
External CCTV footage from the woman’s house was played to the court.
He was interviewed by police four days later but gave no comment, however, he did say the woman was “constantly” reporting him.
In a second interview on June 13 last year, he denied spraying her directly, but said he was using a homemade fertiliser on his plants that contained urine as an ingredient.
In a victim impact statement summarised to the court by Ms Thorbjornsen, the woman said she had been subject to Gammon’s behaviour for four years and this incident had left her feeling physically sick and disgusted.
She said she was left scared in her own home and anxious about using her garden. She also said she had looked to move but was unable to for financial reasons.
Gammon has six previous convictions for eight offences.
Mitigating, Erin Kitson-Parker handed evidence to the judge that Gammon had now sold his property and had even received less than its value just so he could move away quickly.
She said he lived on his own after his partner died in 2021, and his drinking habits and issues with the neighbour had deteriorated since then.
Ms Kitson-Parker said he had worked all of his life and was an avid gardener.
Judge Andrew Stubbs KC told Gammon: “Fortunately you have done the right thing, you have taken yourself away from that situation.
“You were making your neighbour’s life hell.
“I walked in today with the intention of locking you up. The fact you have sold your house and drawn a line under this means I can draw back from that.
“It’s been poisonous, but it’s finished now. I hope the court hears no more about it.”
He gave him a five-month jail sentence, suspended for 12 months, with 50 hours of unpaid work and a £50 fine.