A NEIGHBOUR from hell who harassed a young pregnant mum has been served with an injunction by a County Court judge.

David King had become so intolerant of everyday noise that he would bang on the ceiling with a walking stick if his neighbours flushed the toilet or moved a chair, the court heard.

Mr King claimed 22-year-old Collette Moore and her partner constantly dragged furniture around and made "deafening" noise in the flat above his address in Bournemouth.

The ex-engineer even told Bournemouth County Court he suspected Miss Moore and Martin Edwards had poisoned ducks he regularly fed outside their flats in Hopkins Close, Townsend.

He told Judge John Beashel he had named the ducks Gilbert and Sullivan and added: "I feel that they have administered poison to the ducks. I would not put it past them."

He claimed Miss Moore, who is seven-and-a-half months pregnant, made excessive noise on purpose and that he was unable to eat dinner until 1am because "I can't eat earlier because of the noise".

But all his claims were rejected by the judge, who made an injunction for 12 months under the Protection from Harassment Act, forbidding Mr King from harassing Miss Moore.

The court heard Miss Moore describe how Mr King makes her life "a living hell" and constantly intimidates and pesters her by banging on the ceiling with a walking stick.

She told the judge her three-year-old daughter is unable to play in the flat and that flushing a toilet or pushing a chair under a table prompts banging on the ceiling and complaints to police from Mr King.

"He bangs on the ceiling if I put the kettle on. That is how pathetic it is," Miss Moore told the court. "He complained about loud music and I don't even have a stereo."

Representing Miss Moore, Nicola Pearce said: "She is asking to be able to live peacefully in her flat without persistent interruptions by Mr King.

"She has sought the help of the council, her GP and her MP to no avail. It is her case that any noise coming from the flat is a natural level of noise from everyday living activities and that she has done everything she can to be reasonable."

Miss Moore said problems started on the day after she moved into the flat, exactly a year ago.

"He was ringing my doorbell and pushing his walking stick through the letter box at 2.20am." She added: "He is anti-social and annoying.

"I can't talk to him - he just shouts and waves his walking stick in my face."

The court was told Mr King has complained about numerous previous neighbours.

Making the order, Judge Beashel said of Mr King: "I find he has become increasingly intolerant of everyday noise. I do not find the defendant a convincing witness. He is prone to exaggeration."

First published: October 12