A nightmare neighbour’s two-year campaign of harassment has landed him in court.
Philip Jones tormented residents in Inverness’ Morning Field Place by playing loud sectarian songs as well as damaging a fence and sending abusive text messages.
Appearing at Inverness Sheriff Court, the 53-year-old admitted a single charge of causing his neighbours fear or alarm during a series of incidents that took place between June 2021 and May of last year.
Jones spoke only to confirm his guilty plea at the short hearing.
The complaint detailed how Jones targeted three of his then-neighbours in the Culduthel area of the city by playing loud music and sectarian songs.
He also damaged a fence, sent abusive text messages and left a letter containing derogatory language on the neighbours’ property for them to find.
The charge also libelled that Jones repeatedly displayed still images of the neighbours taken from CCTV cameras on his property.
The crime was aggravated by religious prejudice.
Non-harassment order being considered
Fiscal depute Naomi Duff-Welsh asked the sheriff to consider imposing a non-harassment order to prevent Jones from contacting the complainers in the case.
Sheriff Gary Aitken told Jones that he would defer sentence on him so that a criminal justice social work report, looking into the circumstances surrounding the offending, could be produced.
A full narrative, as well as mitigation from defence solicitor John MacColl, will be heard in February.
He bailed Jones, of Morning Field Place, until the next calling, allowing him to remain on bail in the meantime.
The sheriff also continued consideration of the non-harassment order to that date.
