An eccentric bachelor who terrified a heavily pregnant mother-of-three by repeatedly banging on a wall late at night has been warned he could face jail.

On one occasion Rehana Kausar feared Anthony Walsh, 58, would smash his way through the wall that separated their back-to-back terraced homes in Heaton, Bradford.

It was one of a string of incidents designed to "get under the skin" of eight-months pregnant Mrs Kausar, her husband Mustaq Ahmed and their children, aged just six, four and three, Bradford magistrates court heard today.

"I was terrified," said Mrs Kausar in a police statement read out in court. "My children and I were woken from our sleep that night and we couldn't go back to sleep, fearing what else he may be attempting to do.

"I was scared maybe he would break through the wall and into our house. We didn't know who he was or what would happen."

Walsh, of Bishop Street, Heaton, harassed the family at least six times, despite being subject to a four-year antisocial behaviour order imposed by magistrates in December last year.

It had been hoped the order would put an end to a five-year campaign against his neighbours, which included banging on walls, singing, ringing a bizarre array of doorbells and playing music at high volume.

But even when Mrs Kausar had just given birth to the couple's fourth child, the banging continued, the court heard.

She had returned to her home in Brixton Street, Heaton, Bradford, after having an operation related to the birth on January 17.

Mrs Kausar, her husband and their children were asleep in the cellar kitchen of their home, which backs on to Walsh's terraced house.

They were there because Mrs Kausar was unable to walk upstairs after the operation.

Again, they were woken by repeated banging, with the noise coming from Walsh's home.

Speaking through an interpreter Mr Ahmed said: "My children were suffering, my newly-born child was affected, so was my wife."

Walsh had pleaded not guilty to six breaches of his Asbo. He took the stand to tell the court he had been the victim of harassment, with his neighbours playing "Amazon drums" during the night. He also accused them of drilling during the night and being "liars".

But Lesley Rawlins, prosecuting, told Walsh: "You were frustrated because you believed that the antisocial behaviour order should not have been imposed and that Mr Ahmed and others are the cause of your distress with regards to the order.

"Your frustration has been taken out by banging on the walls because you knew that that would cause them anguish."

Defence solicitor Christopher Bird admitted his client was "eccentric" but argued that the prosecutions claims were "not sufficient" to convict Walsh of breaching the antisocial behaviour order.

However, magistrate Tony Lofthouse said the bench believed it had been breached.

Ordering a pre-sentence report into Walsh's background, he said: "We consider that your offences may be so serious that you may go to prison."

Sentencing was adjourned until May 21.