I feel like monster neighbour stole part of my soul
IT was meant to be an escape to the country after decades of hard work.
But a social care manager has described how her Highland home was turned into a private prison by a neighbour who drove her to the edge with a six-year stalking campaign.
Gail Nichol-Andrews, 57, and husband Hugh Nichol, 66, bought Amberina Cottage in February 2008.
They hoped the ‘dream’ property outside Invergordon, Ross-shire, would see them through their last working years and into a peaceful retirement.
But they endured years of hell at the hands of their nightmare neighbour, land manager Ernst Robberts.
The 50-year-old Dutchman was found guilty at Tain Sheriff Court on Friday of engaging in a course of conduct which caused fear or alarm to Mrs NicholAndrews on repeated occasions between 2010 and 2016.
The estate owner installed a ‘barrage’ of CCTV to watch her, loitered outside her home and regularly looked into the property the couple had poured their life savings into.
Sheriff Janys Scott, QC, rejected claims that Mrs Nichol-Andrews was being ‘overdramatic’ and ‘histrionic’, finding that Robberts had even boasted in a bar about hounding her when she was home alone.
Now, the mother of two – who suffered a stroke in 2015 – has spoken out about the incredible toll of being stalked.
She said: ‘Physically, I believe the stroke was caused by this, particularly as I’d reported stalking twice the day I had the stroke.
‘Psychologically the doctor thought I had PTSD. When I saw the psychiatrist, she said, “No you haven’t, you’re a resilient person... all your symptoms
‘Severe shaking and nightmares’
are normal symptoms for anybody that’s being frightened”.’
Mrs Nichol-Andrews added: ‘It’s a horrible way to live. It’s hellish. The severe shaking I have, the nightmares about being chased and grabbed hold of, the jumping out of my skin...
‘To be sitting in your house and jump out of your skin is hard for your body. It’s like watching a horror movie all the time
‘I forced myself to live a normal life by going to work as much as possible, doing activities outside the home, like the choir.
‘But I don’t get the same pleasure in these things as I did before. I was quite a joyful person, an optimistic person.
‘I feel like he’s taken a part of my soul.
‘Yesterday I felt like I hadn’t got the strength to get out of bed and carry on but I had to.’
The case has had a pronounced impact on her sons, Ross, 26, and Paul, 34, as well as on her marriage to part-time postman Mr Nichol. She said: ‘We’ve lost years of family life where we could have been making good, happy memories.
‘I’m particularly upset about Ross because he was only 16 when we moved in.
‘It certainly has affected Ross in terms of his confidence at times. Paul has had anxiety because he’s been really fearful for his mother’s safety.
‘My husband became so disempowered with it he became depressed and not himself.
‘Our marriage nearly ended – I felt unprotected but that wasn’t his fault... our relationship was affected for a long time.’
Robberts – understood to be wealthy – was fined only £2,000. The family believe just a fraction of Robberts’s wrongdoings came to light at the trial, where his own sister testified against him.
The family say they face ongoing behaviour from Robberts and his wife, whose home they must pass on a rural track to get to their own residence.
Mrs Nichol-Andrews said Robberts has left what the judge called a ‘barrage’ of cameras in place, and that there is no sign of his behaviour letting up. She feels Robberts is trying to devalue and buy her home.
She said: ‘It’s idyllic in all these sorts of ways but unfortunately we’ve got this monster up road.’