Man made ‘gun’ gesture to neighbours
A KNOWLE West man who admitted trying to damage his neighbour’s van has been jailed – and a judge advised him to live somewhere else.
Bristol Crown Court heard there was bad feeling between Harry Chikhosi and a family next door, which they said left them anxious and wary.
Though Chikhosi was handed a restraining order to keep away from them he continued to harass them, the court was told.
The 30-year-old, of Creswicke Road, pleaded guilty to attempting to cause criminal damage in February as well as breaching a restraining order. Judge Martin Picton jailed him for 16 months.
He told Chikhosi: “You’ve just got to keep away from them. Maybe it is time to start somewhere afresh.”
Alicia Doble, prosecuting, said in October last year magistrates handed Chikhosi a restraining order to keep away from his neighbours after he was convicted of stalking. He was also given a short custodial sentence.
Miss Doble said in January this year Chikhosi banged on his neighbours’ wall between 3am and 6am.
His neighbours also recounted harassment including him making rude gestures at them, shouting and swearing and making a handgun gesture at them with his hand.
The court heard in February Chikhosi was seen kicking at the front passenger wing of his neighbour’s van. Police were flagged down and initially he denied wrongdoing.
John Stokes, defending, said his client was an intelligent, universityeducated man who worked as a facilities project manager. Mr Stokes said: “The reason for this is hard to ascertain. He felt a sense of grievance towards them. There is no evidence to substantiate that.”
Chikhosi told the judge he had asked his neighbours to turn their music down and they had claimed he harassed them. He said: “I got sent to jail for something I never done.”
He said his neighbour had parked his van outside his house and used abusive language. He denied damaging his neighbour’s van.
Chikhosi told the judge: “I’ve been a good member of society. I’ve done nothing wrong, it’s not fair really.”