Harassment campaign labelled ‘childish’

A petty dispute sparked a Taranaki man’s two-year harassment campaign against his neighbours which involved about 100 instances of abusive and nuisance behaviour.

Peter Robin Kevin Marshall’s criminal harassment was labelled as ‘‘childish’’ by the district court judge who sentenced the 45-yearold last week, an act which brought an end to the remote central Taranaki saga which first began more than two years ago.

At the time of the offending, which took place between April 2016 to March 2018, Marshall was living in Puniwhakau, which is about 40 kilometres inland from Stratford, near the Te Wera forest. His victims were a farming couple who lived on the same stretch of rural road.

After a minor disagreement, Marshall began his harassment of the couple, which included pulling the fingers at them, him appearing to take photos and videos of the pair without their permission, driving past the couple’s address either at a very fast or extremely slowly speed and throwing rubbish near their property.

His behaviour was in breach of a notice served on him by police in February 2016 to cease any behaviour towards the couple which could be seen as harassment.

Marshall’s offending went on for months where he continually hassled and verbally abused the couple before he was eventually arrested and charged.

The defendant, who previously pleaded guilty to criminal harassment and intimidation, appeared in the New Plymouth District Court on Thursday.

Judge Garry Barkle said the offending, sparked by a ‘‘petty dispute’’ – the nature of which was not disclosed in court – had been carried on by Marshall’s ‘‘childish’’ behaviour, all of which had a distressing impact on the victims.

‘‘At your age and stage in life, you should be well beyond the kind of conduct you were part of,’’ the judge told Marshall.

The court heard how Marshall’s offending had repercussions for him too. After having to move from the Puniwhakau property, he had yet to find another long term place to live.

Marshall was ordered to do 100 hours of community work and pay his harassment victims $500 each.