'Nightmare neighbour', 75, gets electronic tag for hate campaign against couple lasting 'several years'

A 75-year-old 'nightmare neighbour' has been put under curfew and ordered to wear an electronic tag after subjecting a couple to a campaign of hate for several years.

Barbera Minns' campaign of harassment against Adele Richards and Gary Authers included trying to kill their cat, throwing excrement at them and threatening them with a knife.

Minns was made subject of a restraining order to stay away from the couple in 2018 but repeatedly breached it - including assaults on Authers - leading to her being put under curfew.

The couple told how they first moved to their home in Falmouth, Cornwall, in 1993 and initially got on well with Minns but their relationship deteriorated.

Over the years they documented a catalogue of harassment, including Minns trying to poison their cats, as well as slashing their car tyres and throwing stones at their vehicles.

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If the 75-year-old saw Richards in her back garden, Minns would shout "f*cking bitch" and spray her with a hose, while other abuse included her shouting: "you’re going to get it", "I’m going to make you pay" and "I’ll cut your bloody head off".

The attacks became so frequent that the couple, who described Minns as "evil", kept a harassment diary to present to police and installed cameras to record her behaviour.

She was eventually convicted in 2018 and given a 36-week suspended prison sentence as well as being made the subject of a restraining order preventing her from contacting the couple or entering their property.

But Minns repeatedly breached the restraining order, culminating in an assault of Authers in May last year.

During a court hearing at West Cornwall Magistrates Court, prosecutor Chris Rendall said the couple were in their house when they heard screaming and shouting from the back garden.

They discovered Minns shouting: "I've had enough of this I might as well end it all" and then said: "They're bullies, they're f**ing bullies, they know I am here on my own'."

The couple called an ambulance and after it had left she seemed to have calmed down but later as they tried to leave their house Minns confronted them and hit Authers in the chest.

The court heard Minns had already been sentenced in January last year to three further breaches of the restraining order, but her suspended sentence had not been activated and a community order had been imposed until July this year.

In the latest hearing, which had been delayed for a psychiatric report, Minns was made the subject of a community order with a 5pm to 9am curfew and ordered to wear an electronic tag for four months until 13 June.

She was also handed a further restraining order and ordered to pay a £95 victim surcharge and costs of £59.

In a statement read out in court, Richards said the couple had been left "constantly on edge".

She said: "We live in fear as to what Minns may do next and what she has proved to be capable of because of previous incidents.

"A restraining order was obtained and we thought this would stop Minns' unacceptable behaviour but, five years on, we are still getting verbally and physically attacked.

"Minns' behaviour has not improved despite her numerous court appearances at which she has pleaded guilty to.

"Since these incidents neither our friends or family feel comfortable visiting our home and they fear what Minns' will do to us next.

"We have spent a large amount of money safeguarding our home yet still feel very little security personally. Minns has cost us emotional, physical and financial expense. Her intrusive and unwanted behaviour the cost to us is immeasurable."

She added: "We just want this five year nightmare to stop, it is intrusive, frightening and has a direct impact and unyielding effect upon our mental health.

"We don't know what she could do next and we are always aware of her presence. We are nearly at the end of our tether, we just want this behaviour from Minns to stop."

Speaking previously, Minns denied she had done anything wrong and said: "It is the biggest load of rubbish. I've been bullied. Anybody who knows me knows I'm nothing like that.

"I'm normally very gentle, kind and I've been totally obliterated."