Alicia Toulmin verbally abused neighbours in Thornton

Alicia Toulmin, 58, of Back Heights Road, Thornton, Bradford, verbally abused Neil and Emma Miller and some of their relatives in the street during a feud which began in October 2018.

Both Mr and Mrs Miller gave emotional addresses during the sentencing hearing at Bradford & Keighley Magistrates' Court.

Mrs Miller told the court she had phoned police weekly for more than two years and has been diagnosed with anxiety and suffers from stress and panic attacks.

Mrs Miller also claimed Toulmin allowed her dogs to foul in their garden.

Alicia Toulmin pictured at a previous hearing

Crying as she read out her victim personal statement, she said: "Since October 2018, I have lived in a constant fear of my life due to the ongoing harassment Toulmin has caused me.

"I have lived in an unbearable situation due to the stress she has caused me.

"I do not feel safe in my own home. I have phoned the police weekly since October 2018.

"Toulmin is volatile and aggressive. Since these offences, I have suffered from panic attacks daily. We installed a gate for protection.

"I have had so many threats from her. I cannot cope with the daily harassment."

Mr Miller, who also read out his victim personal statement during the hearing, said: "This has been a long journey of harassment by Alicia Toulmin.

"Workmen at our house have also received abuse from Toulmin.

"Toulmin has abused my mother-in-law in the street.

"I feel my every movement has been watched. I am on tenterhooks all of the time and stressed due to the harassment this is causing.

"All we want is to be left alone and to get on with our lives."

Alex Bosman, who prosecuted, said there are ongoing civil matters between Toulmin and the couple.

Toulmin shouted 'What do you think you are doing talking to a stranger?' at Mrs Miller in the street when she was talking to a neighbour. This incident took place on April 17, 2020.

On the same day, Toulmin was also charged with assault of an emergency worker, a police officer, after Toulmin was hit on the arm when she told she could not brush her teeth and became upset as she was arrested. The officer did not suffer any injuries in the incident.

Mr Bosman added the other two incidents dated back to August last year when Toulmin was captured on CCTV using the couple's Ring doorbell and walking off and removing plant pots.

Toulmin also verbally abused Mr Miler when he was moving his car, in a separate incident, also in August 2021.

Toulmin was convicted of three charges at a hearing held on December 14, 2021. They were; harassment without violence, use threatening/abusive/insulting words/behaviour to cause harassment/alarm/distress and assault by beating of an emergency worker. She was sentenced yesterday.

Simon Hustler, mitigating, told the court Toulmin's life has been ruined by the situation with her neighbours and it has resulted in her leaving her job and added these incidents have taken place over a period of time.

He added the feud between Toulmin and the Millers started when the Millers fenced off Toulmin's conservatory.

He said the Millers erected a fence on an unregistered piece of land, not owned by anybody, between the two homes, with the fence said to be two inches from Toulmin's conservatory at her home.

Mr Hustler said: "There are always two sides to the story in a case like this.

"Mrs Toulmin was fenced in by her own conservatory on land not owned by anyone. That was the root of the problem.

"She still has a civil battle to fight."

Toulmin was given a five-year restraining order not to contact the couple, ordered to carry out 20 rehabilitation days, ordered to pay £620 court costs, a £180 fine and a £95 victim surcharge after being found guilty of the three charges. She was also given a 12-month community order.

Sharon Sandhu, chair of the magistrates' bench, said: "There has been a clear impact on the complainant.

"We accept each story has two sides, so we have stepped away from custody."