Nightmare neighbour drove couple out of new Portchester dream home

Special needs worker Wendy Lau threw stones, banged on the wall in the early hours of the morning, played loud music, stuck up her finger and pointed a CCTV camera at Abigail Beckett's new house.

The 54-year-old sign language interpreter's persistent 'targeting' of her neighbours went on until they had 'no choice' but to move out of a home they had hoped to 'grow old in', Portsmouth Crown Court was told.

Ms Beckett told the judge she felt they had been 'evicted by proxy'. Lau admitted that she had made the noise over the 18 month period because she was an 'inconsiderate neighbour', but denied any 'malice' behind it. She claimed that some of the noise was just her making tea.

Lau pleaded guilty to one count of stalking involving serious alarm and distress and has now been handed a suspended sentence. A judge said Lau's actions had a 'profound' impact on Ms Beckett commented that it was 'wholly unjustified and sustained harassment'.

Edward Fenner, prosecuting, told the court that Ms Beckett and her family moved into the two bed home in Portchester in August 2022. The semi-detached property, which cost just under £290,000, was next door to a bungalow which Lau bought just two weeks later. It was heard that the harassment started as soon as Lau moved into her home.

Neighbours described hearing 'very loud banging and noise' throughout the day and into the early hours of the morning. The court heard Lau would stare at Ms Beckett and her family, bang on her window, and throw stones at their house.

Lau installed CCTV cameras which were pointed towards the house to 'spy' at it and she would 'persistently' use power tools to create noise. The use of such tools was said to be 'outside of acceptable hours and not consistent with home DIY'. On other occasions Lau also played loud music, the court heard.

After some time, Ms Beckett and her then-fiancé, Stuart Turner, sought the help of Environmental Health and the police. Lau was served a cease and desist order but the noise continued, it was heard.

Mr Fenner said: "The action of the defendant made it impossible for them to continue residing at the address. From October 2023, they lived with Ms Beckett's parents. Eventually, they felt they had no choice but to take the step of selling their home."

The court heard a victim impact statement from Ms Beckett, detailing the impact the harassment had on her. She spoke of the 'significant impact' the harassment has had on her life, adding: "It will take us a long time to begin to understand why Ms Lau made us her target. We bought [the house] with such excitement - it was our first family home together.

"We have effectively been evicted by proxy from our own home. I really would like to know what I have done to deserve the fear she has caused us all."

Mr Turner said he thought his family would be in the property 'until old age' but had no choice but to sell it because of Lau's behaviour.

He described one occasion when he tried to speak with his neighbour about her actions, but she 'stuck her middle finger up at me'. Casey Chard, mitigating, told the court that Lau is 'at heart - not a bad person'.

Mr Chard said Lau 'didn't think about the consequence' of her behaviours and that none of them were out of 'malice'. He told the court that she 'simply accepts making the noise', said it was because she was making her 'ginger drink'.

"Her actions were not intended to cause the distress that she inevitably has," Mr Chard said.

"Put simply, it's as a result of her [being an] inconsiderate neighbour."

He said that the reasons he installed cameras and filmed Ms Beckett was 'tit for tat' - because her neighbours had done the same to her. Lau pleaded guilty to one charge of stalking involving serious alarm and distress.

His Honour Judge James Newton-Price KC handed Lau a four month prison sentence suspended for 12 months. He told the hearing: "This case concerned, in my view, a wholly unjustified and sustained harassment of your neighbour.

"Your behaviour had a profound impact on your neighbour and her family which damaged her mental health. She felt intimidated and targeted by you for no good reason at all."

The judge referred to the 'significant cost' the family had to pay to move out of their home.

He added: "You have no previous convictions. You expressed regret although I do agree with the probation officer that you appear to minimise your actions."