A crazed neighbour who became obsessed with a grandmother was caught on camera banging her door with what appeared to be a gun. The victim said she was "absolutely petrified" and thought she was going to be shot.
Mark Townsend, 59, terrorised his neighbour of eight years at the Cardiff street they both lived in and turned up at her home with an air rifle. He proceeded to bang on the door with the weapon and made threatening comments, while the victim viewed the terrifying footage from a doorcam.
This was the culmination of months of harassment which saw Townsend turning up at the victim's home in the early hours of the morning and banging on her door. When she questioned him as to why he was bothering her, he replied in a creepy voice "You know what I want".
A sentencing hearing at Cardiff Crown Court on Wednesday heard the defendant and the neighbour lived in Dros y Morfa, Rumney, and she initially reported him to police in 2020 due to his behaviour. Matters deescalated for two years but in February this year his obsession with the victim came to a head.
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Prosecutor Roger Griffiths said on one occasion, Townsend banged on the victim's door at 5am. She told him to leave her alone as she had to get up early for work, and he replied: "I know what time you have to go to work." This incident caused the victim to install a camera on her door, footage from which could be accessed on her phone.
A month later, the victim was in bed at 11.30pm when she could hear someone banging on her door loudly. She looked at her phone and could see the defendant banging so hard she thought he was trying to break the door down and get into her house. The police were called and attended with a member of the housing association who warned Townsend he was at risk of losing his tenancy.
On April 29, Townsend armed himself with the air rifle and banged on the victim's door. Footage played to the court by Mr Griffiths showed the defendant using the butt to strike the door hard. He could be heard saying: "Where have you gone, are you ok now? Don't f****** come to the front door, I am coming through."
Mr Griffiths said: "(The victim) thought if he got into her house she would be shot... She said she was absolutely terrified.... It's clear it caused serious distress to the victim in this case." The police were called and arrested the defendant at his home. They described him suffering some kind of "mental episode" and seized the gun.
In a victim personal statement read out to the court, the victim said: "I need this man removed from the house next door on a permanent basis. He is making my life hell and has some kind of weird obsession with me. I am worried about what he will do next and I am worried I will come to harm soon."
The victim went on to say she had trouble sleeping and found it "impossible" to concentrate at work. She added: "So many incidents have happened over the last few years, I cannot take it any more. It's having a detrimental effect on my mental health and was I tearful when the police turned up. I am petrified about this man being released from custody and about what he will do to me. I cannot cope anymore and need help with this matter."
Townsend later pleaded guilty to possession of an imitation firearm and harassment with a view to causing serious harm and distress. Despite his guilty pleas, the defendant denied the offences to a probation officer. The court heard he has a previous conviction for a dissimilar offence from 38-years ago.
Defence barrister Hannah Friedman said her client said the firearm was not loaded and he did not own any pellets. She added: "He can't believe how stupid he has been. He is mortified." She said the defendant is registered as disabled due to the nerve endings in his leg dying, and mainly uses a wheelchair. She said he objected to an application made by the prosecution for a restraining order which would prevent him from living in his home.
Sentencing, Judge Catherine Richards said: "Taking the gun to the scene could only have been to intend and maximise fear and distress." She told the defendant she recognised the restraining order would mean he would be unable to return to his home but she highlighted the effect his behaviour had had on the victim and the housing association would be obligated to find him new accommodation.
Townsend was sentenced to 13 months imprisonment. He was also made subject to a restraining order preventing him from going within 100 metres of the victim, for five years.
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