A former firefighter who was found guilty of waging a two-year campaign of harassment against his next-door neighbour has started an appeal against his conviction.

Brian Pemberton, 59, is alleged to have tormented Kathryn McKay after the once-friendly pair stopped talking to each other in 2003.

June Morris, for Miss McKay, told Bradford Crown Court that Pemberton had used the "drip, drip, drip" effect over a long period of time which had led to her seeking counselling.

Miss Morris said that the trouble started when Pemberton started to ignore Miss McKay, which resulted in her returning a key she had for his house.

Giving evidence yesterday Miss McKay said that the night she gave it back, as she was watching television later, she heard a rapping on her patio window and knew it was Pemberton.

She said that Pemberton harassed her for the next few years.

Miss McKay told Judge Peter Benson, who is sitting with two magistrates, that Pemberton shouted at her daughter, who was ten at the time, and sent them a threatening letter.

A few days later she said that Pemberton drove towards her daughter as she was riding her bike up the street.

Miss McKay, 51, described to the court how Pemberton began using a joke machine that made rude noises at her every time she left or arrived back at her house at Ridgewood Close, Baildon.

Pemberton is also alleged to have tapped into her phone because he seemed to know intimate details of private conversations.

On one occasion, after Miss McKay had been speaking on the phone about her critically-ill father, Pemberton is alleged to have chanted the Death March at her as she left her house.

Miss McKay added that she also received a number of silent phone calls during the day and night and has alleged that Pemberton was the caller.

She told the court that she tried to sell her house and had even accepted an offer. But when she disclosed the problems she had had the sale fell through and the house has not yet been sold.

The judge also heard allegations that Pemberton had shouted insults at Miss McKay and had put up a sign in his window which read, "Are you fat? Try Weightwatchers."

Miss Morris said that the harassment had a great psychological affect on Miss McKay. She lost confidence and could not concentrate at work. But Pemberton has always denied all the allegations that have been made against him.

He claims that Miss McKay had been simply making up some of the allegations to build a better case against him.

The hearing continues.

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