A PENSIONER has been hit with an eight week jail term for abusive behaviour towards his neighbours.
Patrick Ryan, of Wedgeberrow Close, in Droitwich, pleaded guilty at Worcester Magistrates Court on Friday (April 22) to failing to comply with a community protection notice after he displayed offensive images on his door and swore at neighbours.
The 68-year-old, who was already on a suspended sentence for witness intimidation, was visited by a neighbourhood safety officer after complaints of loud music and banging doors at regular intervals of the night in his second storey flat.
Prosecuting, Adrian Jones, said: “The defendant said he banged doors deliberately. He said he did it to keep his neighbours up all night and he would do it again. The community protection notice was given which warned him about the complaints and restrictions on behaviour, saying not to make noise, use threatening behaviour or put up any signs.”
On March 14, Ryan (pictured)was arrested for breaching the protection notice after he put offensive pictures on his front door directed at his neighbours.
Defending, Paul Stanley: “He fully admitted everything. He is not a man who is trying to hide behind anything. His problems are alcohol, without a shadow of a doubt.
“He is already on a suspended sentence which was imposed in July last year for putting a picture in the neighbour’s letterbox. It was for 15 weeks suspended for 12 months which he breached in December for harassment so it increased to 18 months. He was also given a community order because of his problems with drink.”
Ryan had to complete an alcohol treatment programme as part of the community order which is yet to begin.
“He has been going through an acrimonious divorce which has cost a great deal of money and caused a lot of stress,” said Mr Stanley.
“He has a military background. He is a man with a high IQ who has sadly fallen to the side-line. Hopefully he can stop annoying his neighbours, stop drinking and move on. He says he is too old to come to court.”
Ryan’s suspended sentence was activated and he was sent to prison for eight weeks. he will pay a fine of £100 and a £20 victim surcharge upon release.
He was also handed a criminal behaviour order for three years which prevents him from causing harassment, playing loud music or being verbally abusive, threatening, displaying signs or contacted five named people.
