9 November 2004 D18/2004

Threatening behaviour results in suspended prison sentence

Downland Housing Association successfully prosecuted Joseph Brazil yesterday (November 8) after he threatened his neighbour’s young son and her pet dog in an incident on Sunday.

Brazil of 30, Weald Close pleaded not guilty to breaching his injunction order (secured by Downland on October 13 this year), but following video evidence Right Honourable Judge Haywood sentenced him to 28 days imprisonment suspended for six months.

The court heard how contrary to his injunction, Brazil said that he would stick his neighbour’s head through a door and break her 14-year-old son’s neck. He then threatened to kill the neighbour’s family pet, a Lakeland Terrier Cross called Jack. The police were called to the scene and Brazil was taken into custody.

The injunction was granted to Downland last month after an incident where Brazil used a chainsaw to demolish the same neighbour’s garden gate and threatened her with violence. The terms of it were:

1. Behaving in a manner or engaging in conduct likely to cause nuisance, annoyance, harassment, alarm or distress to any other person.
2. Using foul, abusive or insulting language to the neighbour
3. Not to assault or threaten his neighbour
4. Not to damage or threaten to damage any property belonging to Downland or his neighbour
5. Not to enter the neighbour’s garden.

“We are grateful to the courts for their support in fighting this type of anti social crime and proving that it simply will not be tolerated,” said Downland’s Kevin Day.

“We have worked closely with the police on this and once again partnership working has proved successful”.

“We will do everything that we can to protect our tenants and their families from incidents like this,” he added.

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