Sheffield Crown Court: Racially-abusive man is given a restraining order after damaging neighbour's fence

Sheffield Crown Court heard on July 20 how 55-year-old Nigel Walker had been arguing with his neighbour at Beeston Square, Athersley North, Barnsley, before she left and returned to find her fence had been damaged.

Laura Marshall, prosecuting, said the complainant saw the damage after she returned following a previous argument with her next-door neighbour Walker.

Ms Marshall added: “There were elements of racial-aggravation in relation to her nationality – she being a Polish national.

“There was a banging from the back garden and the defendant was seen using a hammer to damage a fence and telling others to f**k off.”

Walker, of Bramcote Avenue, Athersley North, Barnsley, admitted causing racially-aggravated criminal damage after the incident in December, 2019.

Defence counsel Stephen Welford said: “Clearly, this is a defendant who has had significant issues but seems to have addressed these to some extent.

“He has moved away from the area now and he has significant family support.”

Judge Rachael Harrison sentenced Walker to a 12-month community order with an alcohol abstinence monitoring requirement and a rehabilitation activity requirement.

She told him: “What you did on this day was behave in a racially-aggravated fashion with your next-door neighbour. To your credit you have moved away from the area, and bearing in mind this offence was in December, 2019, there has been no repetition of this behaviour to anyone else.”

Judge Harrison also ordered that Walker be made subject to a five-year restraining order to protect the complainant.