A Wangaratta man who brought a neighbour to tears following continuous, “disgusting” harassment is facing months in jail, a court has heard. The 65-year-old appeared at Wangaratta Magistrates’ Court from custody at Hopkins Correctional Centre on Monday seeking a sentence indication and admitting to "vitriol" abuse of neighbours. The court heard multiple people living close to the accused had intervention orders placed against him. On 1 July this year the man targeted his next door neighbour by calling them a “pedophile” and used other offensive words as they stood in their driveway. Police were called and the accused refused to speak to them. Later that day, the defendant yelled abuse at his neighbour across the road, calling him a “dirty dog”, “pedophile” and “f****t”. He shone a high beamed torch at the neighbour and threatened to assault him. On 4 July, two people with protection orders against the man were driving on Ovens Street with the accused pushing a shopping trolley nearby. As the car passed the man, he pushed the trolley into the vehicle, damaging it, and yelled abuse at the driver, terrifying both car occupants. After being bailed for his offending on 22 July, the accused would find himself back behind bars a day later after yelling further vulgar abuse at his neighbour across the road. The court heard the neighbour was in tears as police arrived, telling officers he felt like a tortured prisoner living in his own home, being victim to the abuse in other similar incidents since April this year. The next-door neighbour had also been victim to the same constant abuse. Defence counsel Geoff Clancy said all the offending had occurred while his client was drinking. The court heard the defendant had a strong history of alcohol addiction and he had been a patient at Kerferd Psychiatric Unit. He had a long criminal history, having previously been convicted in playing a role in the murder of a Wangaratta man in 2018. Police prosecutor Leading Senior Constable Stuart Pritchard said the emotional toll expressed by the man’s neighbours was of paramount concern for police. “He was given an opportunity and offended a couple of days later,” he said. Magistrate Olivia Trumble said the man would be facing at least two months in jail with a community corrections order upon his release. She said drinking was no excuse for his display of “extremely” anti-social behaviour. “Anyone who resides where you live has a right to live without your hatred, vitriol, prejudice,” she said. “It would be traumatising for them.” Mr Clancy said his client had hinted intentions of selling his home and moving interstate, a move that Magistrate Trumble said would be welcomed by his neighbours. The defendant confirmed his desire and agreed. “Wangaratta has had a gutful of me and vice versa,” he said. He will be sentenced on 14 August following a community corrections order assessment.
