I live with my mum (temporarily), we live in a block of flats and there is a man living in the flat directly below us.
He has some sort of mental health issue, he used to have a social worker visit him regularly but one morning, my mum told me (I wasn't living here at this time) she woke up to him shouting and swearing and she saw his social worker leaving. There has been no social worker since, thus was a couple of years ago now.
My mum used to speak to him, he has a dog and my mum has 2 so they would see eachother out, she also used to pick up dog supplies for him as he can't go himself (I don't know why, he's not disabled physically' and he can go food shopping for himself) his social worker used to go for him. My mum and this guy have had arguments a few times, he's gone off on one for some random things, shouting at other neighbours, one who was a single mum and very timid. He tells everyone he's been to prison, apparently shared a cell with Bronson (I don't believe this) always bragging about all the knives he has in his flat (machetes for example). We've never seen them but he talks about them alot.
My mum has had to call the police a few times on him for threatening behaviour. He also use a a punchbag in the communal stairway at 5am. My mum complained to the council (his flat is council owned) but they just sent him warnings.
Whenever the police were called, my mum said they were pretty much useless, didn't do anything just had a word with him about his behaviour even though he threatened to beat her up and cut her with his "knives"
A couple of months ago, he started again, standing under my mum's bedroom window shouting insults, my mum shouted down for him to shut up and move on (usually this works She said) but this time he went on a rage. I was in my bedroom puttin my DD to bed and I could hear him shouting, something about gettin his knives and "puttin you all in a body bag". I went through to my mum to see what was going on, then i called the police as I could hear him coming up the stairs towards our door. He was at the door while I was on the phone to the police. We locked the door. The police came took statements and seemed very much concerned, the police before have never been like this according to my mum. They informed us that he has been arrested and will be on in court the next day. They also said he had knives but they were just display ones.
We've received a letter each, saying we have to attend court in February for this incident. I honestly didn't think it would go this far, as my mum has called the police many times for similar things and it's never gone further than "having a word".
It makes me think that there's something the police have seen/witnessed that other haven't before? Or maybe because there is a very young child here now?
Also do I have to go to court? The thought of it makes me incredibly anxious, I don't know why. I've never been so I dont know how it works or what happens. He's plead not guilty and that's why it's gone to court apparently? Will I have to stand in front of people? I hate doing this sort of thing.