Nightmare neighbour locked up for bullying resident

Daniel Ryan, of Moorhouse Avenue on Wakefield’s Flanshaw estate was given a restraining order last year for harassing his neighbour, threats to destroy property and battery of another neighbour.

But it failed to curb the 36-year-old’s anti-social behaviour with the police being called to the flats almost daily, Leeds Crown Court heard this week

Ryan admitted four fresh charges including three counts of breaching his restraining order and harassment of his autistic neighbour.

Prosecuting, Joseph Bell said on one occasion Ryan was spotted on CCTV placing a bag of bicycle dust caps under his neighbour’s door, which left the neighbour feeling confused and anxious.

He was also shouted at him on the shared driveway of the the flats in another incident, and was heard shouting towards the neighbour from own flat.

The man was left physically shaking after each of the encounters, the court was told.

Mitigating, Ismael Uddin, said that Ryan himself suffered autism and Asperger’s and questioned how locking him up could help his own mental health problems.

But Judge Simon Phillips QC said Ryan had previously been given a chance following his previous convictions and continued to ‘bully’ his neighbour.

He sent him to jail for eight months and gave him a new restraining order ordering him to stay at least 100 metres from the property.