A transgender neighbour from hell has been jailed after threatening the couple who lived next door.
Newcastle Crown Court heard how Susan Hope, previously known as Andrew Fleming, moved in in February last year.
After a largely peaceful start to their relationship, things escalated, leading to Hope threatening to “punch women’s face in.”
The defendant, 51, of Walkergate, Newcastle, moved in to the flat in Newcastle under the victim who had lived there for around 30 years. The woman helped her new neighbour initially, letting them charge a phone and making them a cup of tea when their electricity was off.
Susan Hope, previously known as Andrew Fleming failed to appear at Newcastle Crown Court
PA
Prosecuting, Rachel Glover said: “This changed when the defendant began knocking on their door at all hours asking for her phone to be charged and for phone calls to be made on her behalf.
“(The woman) said she tried to be a good neighbour but it got too much and she began to say no and asked her to stop knocking on her door. The defendant became aggressive and shouted in her face, saying ‘I will remember this.’ The defendant was away from home between February and June, when she returned.
“Within two days, on June 15, the defendant started knocking and banging on the neighbours’ door again, saying she was locked out. The woman said she didn’t want anything more to do with the defendant.
“On June 29, the woman went to a fish and chip shop and noticed the defendant standing across the road, staring at her. She found her very intimidating. She was terrified and returned home shaking.”
LATEST DEVELOPMENTS
Susan Hope, who previously identified as Andrew Fleming
Northumbria Police
Things came to a head on July 1 when the woman was in her flat when she heard shouting from the defendant. Glover said: “She could see the defendant standing at her front window with the window open, shouting at her. (The victim) was frightened, crying and shaking and her husband called the police.”
Hope was arrested and assaulted a police officer at the police station but was then released on bail with conditions not to contact the victims. On July 12, the defendant knocked on their door again and was told to leave. There was further knocking on the door on July 24 and 27 and on July 29 the neighbours were met with verbal abuse.
In a victim statement written by one of the victims, Glover said: ‘”She is absolutely terrified of the defendant. It’s causing her distress all the time.
“She’s terrified of what they [the defendant] are capable of doing. It frightens her. She’s lived there more than 30 years with no issues but no longer feels safe and doesn’t want to live there anymore.”
Defending, Shada Mellor, said the defendant has served the equivalent of a 14 month prison sentence on remand and was previously detained under the Mental Health Act. The court heard defendant has autism and is bipolar.
The defendant failed to attend court for the sentencing hearing. They pleaded guilty to harassment putting a person in fear of violence and assaulting an emergency worker.
They were jailed for 41 weeks and given a restraining order not to contact the victims.
Source Agencies
