A DISPUTE over parking between neighbours in Sutton-in -Craven only ended when one of the families sold up and moved away, heard Harrogate Magistrates Court.

Vincenza Santa-Barbara, 54, and her son, Marcello Tones, 24, were both accused of the harassment without violence of their next door neighbours in Harper Grove for a prolonged period just after the start of the coronavirus lockdown, from April 2 until November 16, last year.

Santa-Barbara, who denied the charge when she and her son first appeared at Skipton Magistrates Court in January, was acquitted by magistrates, after the crown offered no evidence following the guilty plea of her son.

She was however served a restraining order barring her from contacting her old neighbours or their family for two years. She is also barred from uploading or posting anything, or commenting about them on social media or any public forum.

Marcello Tones, 24, who also initially pleaded not guilty, changed his plea to guilty on the day of the trial held in Harrogate yesterday (Monday).

Tones, the court heard had been verbally abusive several times towards both the man and the woman after they had constructed off-road parking in their front garden. Parking in the road was at premium and their inclusion of a dropped kerb reduced the number of parking spaces available to residents. He had also carried out DIY noises in the adjoining property late at night, disturbing the children’s sleep.

Tones had been given two parking tickets and police had delivered a ‘noise nuisance ‘ letter from Craven District Council. In June, a police ‘acceptable behaviour contract’ to do with parking in the street was signed by several residents, but not Tones.

Prosecuting, Philip Morris, said Tones’ next door neighbours had felt the only option for them was to move house. They had told their buyers about the problems they had experienced, but were still able to sell the property and move to somewhere else in the locality.

Keith Blackwell, for Tones, said it was a very sad situation. The Santa-Barbara family had lived in the street since 1985 and had had no previous problems. They had initially got on with their new neighbours, who moved in in 2016, but had fallen out over the parking on a street not meant to accommodate so many cars.

He said the situation was now sorted and the Italian speaking Santa-Barbaras got on with their new neighbour, who also spoke Italian.

Tones, of Harper Grove, who the court was told was part way through a 18 month community order for the cultivation of cannabis, had his order revoked and was re-sentenced.

Magistrates sentenced him to a new 18 month community order with up to 25 rehabilitation activity requirement days and 200 hours unpaid work. He was also made subject to a two year restraining order barring him from direct or indirect contact with his old neighbours, or posting anything about them on social media that could identify them. He will also have to pay costs of £620 and a surcharge of £95.