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AIBU?

Do I call the police about my neighbour

175 replies

MrsCrabbyTree · 17/05/2018 02:52

An elderly neighbour has dented my letterbox on purpose and I am not happy.

Background: Monday morning neighbour's dog rushed into my front yard to chase my cat. Luckily the cat managed to get by the screen door and I grabbed the dog by the collar. Neighbour yelled at me, I asked him to go home, then turned to go inside. He then hit me on the back of the head with the stick he carries while walking his dog. I am fine but it did hurt somewhat.

Young neighbour from across the road saw what occurred and backed up this to the police. Police visited old neighbour and told him that he was fortunate that I did not want to press charges and to behave himself.

There are gates across the driveway, which are never closed, but I decided that it was prudent to do so. Tuesday morning the gate was untethered and slightly open. So I tied a tighter knot in the rope thinking the wind blew them open.

Then this morning I saw the neighbour try to untie the rope and then whacked my letterbox lid with that stick leaving a dent in the metal.

I am really pissed off and so deciding whether or not to complain to the police again. One part of me says to leave it and the pissed off side of me doesn't want him to get away with it?

OP posts:

Report

buttercup54321 · 17/05/2018 03:13

Yes tell the police.

Flacefende · 17/05/2018 03:15

Tell the police, you didn’t press charges when he assaulted you, they told him to berhave and that he was lucky and yet he’s still continuing down this path of arseholeness. Doing nothing is clearly not stopping his behaviour (which is totally unreasonable behaviour, he’s hitting you on the head because his dog got into your garden wtf!)

dayinlifeof · 17/05/2018 03:15

Yes, he's assaulted you and caused criminal danger to your property.

Awwlookatmybabyspider · 17/05/2018 03:22

Yes you do tell the police. He's age does not excuse him. If it were the other way around youd be hauled over the coals.

thebewilderness · 17/05/2018 03:47

There is no excuse for his behavior. He needs to be charged with assault for striking you with a stick.

thebewilderness · 17/05/2018 03:48

From behind too. Call the police and lay the charges. He won't stop whether you call them or not so get it recorded.

AnnaBay · 17/05/2018 03:54

Yep give the police a call.
There is no excuse for this behaviour. He may escalate his behaviour too so best to have it on record in case.

1forAll74 · 17/05/2018 04:15

Yes,best to call the police again,and hopefully they will reprimand the angry old neighbour in some way. It might well rile this man,and make him more angry being confronted by the police again,but he needs to be dealt with quite sternly. I am always amazed what some crap neighbours do when watching the Neighbours from hell programme on tv.

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/05/2018 04:34

He’s a misogynistic bully. Just because he’s old that doesn’t change.

Is it too late to press charges? I think you should consider doing so now. The more he gets away, the more he will escalate.

Ostagazuzulum · 17/05/2018 04:36

You absolutely should call police! He's clearly not learnt anything from his last visit! Don't excuse his behaviour just because of his age!

MrsCrabbyTree · 17/05/2018 05:07

I possibly asked MN the wrong question.

In reality I don't think I can be bothered with the hassle just as much as I don't want him to get away with his behaviour but also am concerned I may cause further retaliation. (As he hit me with the stick he said that no f...… bitch could tell him what to do. This attitude is what makes me think he would retaliate.)

I have lived in this house for almost 2 years and have seen him walk past less than 10 times, although we had words on 2 other occasions, which left me with the impression that he is a nasty misogynous bastard (who hates cats) and best avoided. It will be easy to avoid him as he has a predictable routine where he walks his little dog every morning around 8 to 8.30. My cat is basically and inside girl and rarely wants to venture out of the front door. On Monday she unfortunately waited at the door while I took kitchen rubbish to the wheelie bin.

Guess I am hoping that now he believes he has had the last word by damaging the letterbox he won't do more damage to it or anything else in the future. I've never had dealings with the police and do not understand how it all works. I don't wish to contact them again because they will probably want to make my complaint official. As I said I'm not sure that I want to go down that route and if I don't press charges I worry that I will piss off the police by wasting their time.

Sorry everyone for rambling on. I truly am undecided what to do.

OP posts:

Supermagicsmile · 17/05/2018 05:15

Please report it!!!

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/05/2018 05:20

You are entitled to the police’s attention as much as the next person. It is of course your prerogative whether or not you want to press charges on the assault. I was thinking perhaps you would because he is escalating and needs to be stopped. I’d go down the police station if you are able and have a chat about him and get their advice of how to proceed ie whether or not to log the complaint etc. They are experienced in these scenarios. They will not see you as wasting their time either way.

SabineUndine · 17/05/2018 05:22

It sounds to me as though he’s letting his dog in your garden to go after your cat. I would tell the police.

TheMaddHugger · 17/05/2018 05:25

It would benefit your whole community to Put this Fucker in his place. The next might not be in as good as place to defend themselves

Sammyham · 17/05/2018 05:27

Personally, and especially from your last update I wouldn't want the hassle of having to report this etc and go through all that either, especially if you think this act is his way of having the last word and you probably won't have to deal with him much in the future.

You're the bigger man walking away from this issue and saving yourself from future hassle but saying that, I would log his antics in a diary incase the nutter kicks off again

MrsCrabbyTree · 17/05/2018 05:31

Sabine. After the first time his dog chased my cat which was only weeks after we moved in I never let her out the front in the mornings. His dog is walked off lead (against the local law) and thus explores any open gardens. Neighbour doesn't stop his little dog from doing that but I wouldn't say he actively encourages it either.

It's been so long since I've noticed the neighbour and dog on their walks that on Monday I clear forgot about them and unfortunately there were consequences due to the bad timing.

OP posts:

itchyknees · 17/05/2018 05:32

Report. Tbh I’d have been going nuclear about being hit.

Teateaandmoretea · 17/05/2018 05:37

I think though that if you don't report him he may think you are easy prey and he can just get on with intimidating you. I think you should press charges re being hit round the head too, especially as there is a witness.

He's a nasty bully.

MrsCrabbyTree · 17/05/2018 05:39

itchyknees On Monday I reported being struck to the police but I didn't press charges although a couple of policemen visited the neighbour and then came over to me and let me know he had been spoken to.

Mistakenly I thought that would be the end of it.

OP posts:

Mummyoflittledragon · 17/05/2018 05:41

I think the fact that you didn’t press charges makes him see you as an easy target. I’m not sure he’s seen this as having the last word. He may escalate. He hit your doors because he couldn’t hit you again. Do you realise this?

overnightangel · 17/05/2018 05:42

I’d have pressed charges without hesitation after he assaulted you.
After this I’d want to see him prosecute to the fullest extent possible.
What a cunt he is

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flumpybear · 17/05/2018 05:43

It'll continue if you're not careful so get the police on board - if you're able to still press criminal charges the personally I wouldn't now after the harassment

BigChocFrenzy · 17/05/2018 05:43

He learned after he hit you that you wouldn't press charges, so he continued his aggression
Backing down to bullies doesn't usually work

You should NOT change your schedule to avoid his aggression - that's no way to live, in your own home.

Go back to the police station and tell them you want to press charges because he has not listened to their talk

Also tell them that you have been changing your schedule to avoid him, but that it is not sustainable to always do so

NotAgainYoda · 17/05/2018 05:58

Yes, call the police. Because either he's a violent bully who needs punishment, or possibly he's suffering from an age-related problem which means he needs treatment and support. Either way; you need protection

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