Former businessman Stephen Thoms, who has been banned from his home after terroroising his neighbours, appeared in court to be sentenced for his latest indiscretion. Stuart Arnold and Gavin Havery report.

WITH his sharp suits and briefcase often in hand, Stephen Thoms looks like the epitome of the respectable businessman.

In fact, he looks nothing at all like the archetypal neighbour from hell that most of us would picture.

But underneath it all lurks a man who has made the lives of people living in Auckland, a quiet cul-de-sac in Chester-le-Street, County Durham, a misery.

The 48-year-old former conservatory salesman is alleged to have:

* Pushed faeces through a letterbox;

* Spat at neighbours' cars and made V-signs;*l Took unwanted photographs of their property;

* Sent threatening text messages and abused his victims.

Thoms, who says he is, in fact, the target of a vendetta from his neighbours, has even been barred from his home under the conditions of his police bail.

At Consett Magistrates' Court yesterday, Thoms was sentenced for driving over neighbour Jason Smallman's lawn - breaching the terms of an anti-social behaviour order imposed earlier this year.

He has been handed a 12-month community order and is subject to a two-month curfew, which means he will be electronically tagged.

Jane Mitford, prosecuting, told the court: "Mr Smallman said that Mr Thoms damaged the lawn when he drove over it and left tyre marks on it.

"He felt harassed and intimidated by his actions."

Michael Hall, in mitigation, said: "This has been an ongoing saga and has taken a toll on his (Thoms') health. It is essentially a neighbours' dispute, and both sides have been at loggerheads.

"He has reacted badly at times, and Mr Thoms accepts that he is not always right.

"It was a breach, but it was not the most major of breaches. There was no violence or threat. There was nothing that would be considered intimidating."

In passing sentence, District Judge Gary Garland said: "I accept that the breach is not the most serious and does not involve physical violence or abuse.

"It is not so much the gravity of the offence, it is that a breach occurred, and you should have been more careful."

Outside court, Thoms said the sentence was disproportionate, adding: "The tag will restrict my liberty and just cause me problems. It is very heavy-handed and justice has not been done.

"It is appalling. All I have done is driven over a man's piece of grass. Clearly things have got out of hand."

But one of his former neighbours, who did not wish to be identified for fear of reprisals, said the punishment was fair.

He said: "Steve is one of those people who will not back down even when they are wrong, and bears a grudge. People have fallen out and it has escalated.

"Since he has been gone, there has not been a problem. It has been really quiet and the kids have started playing in the street again, which they did not do when he was here."

Thoms has been described by police as indulging in persistent, low-level anti-social behaviour.

Seemingly, many of the confrontations in which he has been involved have been sparked by relatively minor disputes such as people parking in the street, or incidents such as scratches on cars.

Nonetheless, the effect has been devastating on his victims, with many being reduced to nervous wrecks and refusing to speak about their ordeals for fear of retaliation.

He is said to have told one neighbour: "You do not want to cross me. I can be a psychopath and will make your life hell."

Dr Naomi King-Li, a psychologist who mediates in neighbour disputes, said the essence of what being neighbours is about is often at the core of the problem.

She said: "People get incredibly upset in neighbourhood disputes because you are right next door to someone. You cannot get away or just switch off because it is there 24 hours a day.

"Also, because people are different, what might make one person angry might not annoy other.

"Both parties often come at things differently too, with individuals feeling that it is they that are totally in the right."

Thoms has repeatedly flouted the terms of the anti-social behaviour orders imposed on him by magistrates.

And his behaviour has extended away from the street where he lived to confrontations with council officials and staff at a local health club.

Dr King-Li said there were many reasons for this type of behaviour.

She said: "It can be things in people's past, their experiences or just what is going on in their life right now.

"They may have lost their job, or be going through a separation. These are stressful situations which can make a neighbourhood dispute or conflict worse and into something really big."