AIBU to ask your advice on wether it's worth taking my Neighbours from hell to court?

[Totallyattheendofmyrope]

I've had threads on here about my neighbours from hell.
We've been threatened, sworn at harassed and our visitors harassed.
We have involved the police who initially wanted to issue a harassment order against said neighbours but were overruled by their superior officer who said " it never ends well in neighbour disputes"
The actual abuse has reduced significantly though we still endure low level harassment.
I'm keeping notes etc as recommended by the police.
I've pushed for mediation and have met with the mediator however neighbours are stalling and I doubt very much they will attend.
Currently the favourite form of harassment is to park their vehicles to make it quite difficult for me to park. I can get in and I can get out but I do dread weekends and I dread coming home as I'm always so anxious about what they will have done and will I be able to get in ok etc.
I have checked my deeds and they are blocking my "easement ' and it states in the deeds that no one is allowed to do anything to hinder another's ingress and egress.
Currently the neighbours are freely enjoying and utilising the easement I honour and provide them with on my land.
So- Aibu to consider starting legal proceedings or am I just feeding into their crazy?
What would you do?

If the parking nonsense recurs, park your car elsewhere, and make a habit of standing at your window watching and laughing as they go through their self-imposed contortions rearranging their cars.

I understand your concern naice and what you're saying did cross my mind.
There are many company directors and the reason I choose the director I have to contact is that he is also in charge of ethics.

I heard someone say on a bad neighbour thread once,

"Be careful not to argue with a madman, bystanders can't tell who is who"?

It's very true.

I'm going to the station today first and I'll hold back on his work for now.

I also don't think contacting his workplace is a good idea.

Have read the thread and am appalled by the behaviour of these morons. Did you approach them after him hosing the girls? Reporting to police is definitely a good course of action but I wouldn't have been able to let that slide without asking what the hell he thought he was doing. I know you want to model good behaviour to your kids but frankly you're now at risk of modelling that bullies go unchallenged. While she was at prom I would have knocked on his door. And if he became aggressive, police immediately.

Overall I think the parking thing is a red herring - you can access your spot and although it's trickier to do so that's not really relevant. I would continue to look at ways to give alternative access and put rising bollards on your own parking space to prevent any of their visitors using it in future.

Nanoo...knocking on the door when the girls were at the prom wouldn't have accomplished anything. I would have been on their property uninvited so would be the confronter and they would have just called me names and swore and shouted at me..possibly hit me. Certainly would have ridiculed me and taunted me.
They would have enjoyed it and they would have known I was upset.
I wouldn't have got any satisfaction.

I've been to the police, they are very pissed off. The officer said they've are having a meeting on Friday to discuss how to move forward.

My dd is very distressed and does not want her friends interviewed by the police. She says her friends parents will all know everyone will be talking about it at school and none of her friends will be allowed to come and play anymore.

Op speak to the girls parents and ask them if the police can speak to the gils.
Tell your dd that you have to stand up to bullies.
I may wait to do this after you've spoken to the police, but if you get nowhere,
Any bad behaviour you have on camera make sure you send that to the neighbours work and ask if that is how you expect an employee to conduct themseves, state if you expect them to harass a woman and her child?
State your next step will be taking it to the paper ( you dont need to)

I don't think I can move forward with this.

My dd is vulnerable and is distraught at the police interviewing her friends.

One of the girls- it was her first time in our home, we don't even know the parents.

I'm not sure wether to tell dd tough and take the desicion out of her hands.
But what if it does really affect her, should I sacrifice what dd wants to get him??

Please people, try to understand I AM STANDING UP. I am not allowing myself to be bullied.

Goodness, I really feel for all of you. I can't believe the police have let this go on so long.

Is there a middle ground where your DD could speak to the police but not her friends?

I've told the police dd is happy to talk to them.

It's just he said she said again really isn't it?

If they talk to the girls it's cut & dried but at what cost for dd?

Do you know this guy is head of operations for a nation wide company and gets his kicks bullying 13 year olds

You need to talk to the parents of your DD's friends. They will likely have already told their parents what happened. If I was their parents and heard the story from my child with no word from the friend's parents, I'd be a bit miffed at you not telling me what had happened and giving me and my child the opportunity to also do something about the assault, i.e. Talking to police.
I understand you are trying to protect your DD but in this case I think you have to tell her that you, as her parent, need to get others involved to ensure this man is appropriately punished.

I honestly don't know what is wrong with some people...I really don't.

It must be something quite serious though to think that sort of behaviour is appropriate.

I called one of the girls mothers, I know her better. She said her dd hadn't mentioned it but extended her sympathies for having such an awful person living next to me. I told her I'd made a complaint and that I'd played it down to the girls so as not to spoil their evening.
I've laid the ground work- tommorow dd goes into school, I'll encourage her to discuss the situation with her friends but I'm not sure if it'll be too much for her.
School until very recently has been her safe place and she said that with one of the girls penchant for dramatics it'll be all over social media and exaggerated and gossiped about.

I even went to the nursing home next to where it happened to see if there was any cctv footage- almost but not quite..

What a fucking bastard doing that to young kids all dressed up for their prom. That is very low behaviour. I hope the police take it seriously.

Tell your daughter it has to go to the police incase things get worse.
Obv dont scare her, but explain that if you let it go that bullies win.
You are such a strong person
You daughter will be proud of you

I agree with talking to the girls parents. EVen if the girls don't mention it immediately they're bound to hear eventually. Maybe less harmful to your dd than the grapevine.

Hi Totally,

I've worked as a lawyer for years and currently work for a well know free advice agency - the cops are absolutely right in that there's nothing any lawyer or adviser dreads getting more than neighbour disputes :).

Without wishing to sound pompous I cant give specific advice to you as it could be malpractice but the police are definitely spot on in advising your to record details of any incidents (especially the date and time and who was present when they occured) - also filmed evidence can be of great value her. To avoid any personal risk in obtaining such evidence you might wish to have a look at some items like the spy pen camera or even glasses as these can be obtained from Amazon very cheaply nowadays and record both video and audio in suprisingly good quality.

Legally though (and I mean no offence at all here) you haven't provided what could be the most essential piece of information - namely the housing status of both your and your neighbour (who clearly seems to be an expert in self abuse). From what you've said I'm guessing that you live in a Freehold property? Are you aware though as to whether your neighbour holds the freehold as this could be crucial - it might be worth your while checking the land registry to ascertain this as it's a fairly easy process nowadays.

If you could kindly post this information it'll be easier to consider what options might be available to you to help resolve this (or you could simply hire a hit-man of course).

Hi Pougie, yes we live in a freehold property- does this make a difference?

Don't we hold our own freehold?

Definitely keep a diary of events as it builds up a pattern of behaviour and reduces the likelihood of incidents being reduced to he said she said. Can you get CCTV installed on your property. You would need to ensure of course that it complies with all laws with regards to where it can and cannot point.

We hold our own freehold for our house and property boundaries as do our neighbours but each of our drives provides an easement for each other.

I have had cctv installed. Once the father n law spat at dd and I. We haven't had any incidents on our property since. It has the desired effect.

Nope - that's very good as it means you enjoy far greater legal protection so should generally be relatively immune to any attempt by Mr Baelzebub next door if he tries to cause you any legal difficulties himself - which is a very common tactic throhout the legal industry as a 'spoiling attack' can often serve to undermine an opponents case before it is propely initiated.

Whats most important now if to see if you can find out Baelzebub's housing status as without this its not really possible to be able to properly consider your options. Good hunting and I'm subscribed to this thread so hopefully speak soon.

Sorry just read your previous post - think we were both typing at same time! Do you mind if I ask whether you're sure your neighbour owns the freehold and whether you've checked to find out if that's definitely the case?

Dh is abroad-so I've been whassapping him as he is more thorough with the details.
I know he went through it inch by inch with the conveyancer.
He said he's not done a full legal check but he's confident as they don't sell them otherwise round here.