A NEIGHBOUR who put two families through "years of torment" has been issued with a court order which bans him from plaguing people in the street where he lives.

Michael Stuart Kirby, 49, of Charles Street, Oswaldtwistle, has become the first nuisance neighbour in East Lancashire to be issued with an Anti Social Behaviour Order (ASBO) -- and faces prison if he doesn't comply.

Hyndburn magistrates heard that he persistently played loud music late at night and into the early hours and was involved in dozens of incidents over the years.

He admitted causing criminal damage to a next-door-neighbour's home on October 3 last year by making a hole in the wall, putting a hosepipe in it and flooding the house.

Kirby was banned from causing any unreasonable noise in the street after magistrates yesterday heard he had caused years of distress to his immediate next-door-neighbours.

Kirby, who is single, accepted the two-year order, which also stops him from entering any premises in Charles Street without the owners' permission, causing damage to properties, verbally abusing residents, making any abusive or obscene gestures or causing alarm, harassment or distress. ASBOs can be applied for by the police and local authorities. Although the ASBO is a civil order, if Kirby breaches it he can be arrested on-the-spot and prosecuted and, if found guilty, fined or sent to prison. Gordon McMillan, prosecuting for Hyndburn Council, said that Kirby had lived in Charles Street for around 19 years during which time his relationship with next-door-neighbours Daniel and Janet Whitehead and Nigel and Sharon Blake had dramatically deteriorated.

Mr Whitehead, who had kept a detailed diary of incidents over the years, wanted to sell his home but was unable to because Kirby's house was in a run-down state which put off potential buyers.

Mr McMillan said Kirby was arrested for breach of the peace during the early hours of January 7 and had to be restrained with handcuffs and taken to the police station.

Mr McMillan added that on December 17 Kirby had verbally abused Mr Blake and on January 16 had verbally abused Mrs Blake after she asked him to turn down his music on a Sunday morning.

Bernard Horne, defending, said there had been a long history of problems between Kirby and Mr Whitehead.

He said: "Mr Kirby accepts that at night he has been playing his music too loud and the television too loud.

"There is a lot of bad blood between Mr Kirby and his neighbours. It has been going on for many years but Mr Kirby wanted to make it clear it has not always been his fault."

He said his client had a history of psychiatric problems.

He added that Kirby wanted to move from his house but that it needed repairs.

After the hearing Inspector Steve Sansbury, of Accrington Police, said: "The combined efforts of Lancashire Constabulary and the borough council in securing this order will hopefully bring to an end the years of torment suffered by neighbours of Kirby."

After the case, Janet Whitehead, who says the whole episode has completely changed her personality, said: "It has been 19 years of hell."

Picture: Nuisance neighbour Kirby (left) and Daniel and Janet Whitehead, the couple next door.

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