A pensioner in Cornwall who threw stones at his neighbours and poured buckets of water over them has been banned from speaking to them indefinitely. 

In addition to the indefinite restratining order, 79-year-old Kenneth Barker, was sentenced to 20 weeks in prison suspended for 12 months, and ordered to pay more than £1,000 in compensation and fees to his neighbours, after he apepared before magistrates in Bodmin on Monday (July 22).

The dispute arose as a civil matter around 30 years ago after Barker believed that land boundaries had been moved by another party.

When the victims - who were not involved in the original issue - later moved into their home, Barker began to subject them to repeated harassment, by being verbally and physically abusive, including swearing, throwing stones, and behaving in a threatening manner.

Reports to the police began in April 2023 and Barker was issued a Community Protection Warning in June, but the behaviour continued with him blocking the victims driveway with his car.

This was captured on CCTV, but Barker claimed the battery was flat when officers asked him to move it. He was reminded of the warning notice that was in place in regard to his behaviour.

Despite this, the behaviour continued, with Barker later knocking down boundary fences and throwing multiple buckets of water over a boundary hedge onto the victims.

He was spoken to on multiple occasions by officers about his behaviour before he was eventually arrested. While under investigation, the behaviour continued, and he was remanded into custody for several weeks prior to sentencing.

Barker, from Callington, pleaded guilty to multiple offences of common assault, harassment and criminal damage and was sentenced by the magistrates, who told the court it that was "one of the worst examples of a neighbour dispute that we have come across".

Following sentence, PC Jess Floyd from the Callington Police Neighbourhood Team said: “The persistent and continued behaviour by Mr Barker has impacted the victims' quality of life over a period of time, as well as others in the area, who should all be able to go about their business in peace.

“The only thing the victims did was move into their home, they were not involved in the initial dispute raised in relation to land, which has since been disproved.

“We welcome the sentence that the court imposed and thank all those who were involved and impacted by the case for their support of the police investigation.”