A PENSIONER who broke a court order not to annoy his neighbours has been warned he risks a jail sentence.

Richard Dawe imitated the sound of a peacock near the home of parish councillor Shirley Schooling.

The 66-year-old also swore at another neighbour, Paul Clifton, as he walked across Castlemorton Common, near Malvern.

After being convicted by a jury of two charges of breaching an anti-social order imposed by magistrates in March this year, it was revealed Dawe had a history of neighbour disputes.

Recorder Michael Burrows told Worcester Crown Court of six previous convictions, which included wounding with intent to cause grievous bodily harm.

Displaying threatening signs, causing harassment, common assault and sending malicious mail were also on his record.

The recorder, bailing Dawe to a secret address away from his home in Hollybed Street, Castlemorton, warned: "With your record, these are serious matters. I will have to consider whether you should lose your liberty."

Dawe will be sentenced next month after assessment by a psychiatrist.

The jury cleared Dawe, a married man, of two other charges of contravening the 15-year court order.

Mrs Schooling described how he liked to talk to his animals in their own language. She tried to drown out his peacock imitation with the radio or her vacuum cleaner.

Mr Clifton alleged he was herded like a sheep by Dawe's dogs, then subjected to foul abuse.

Dawe claimed he was the victim of a conspiracy to get him out of an area he had lived in for 60 years.

His counsel, Antonie Muller, said his prosecution under the Crime and Disorder Act 1998 was for offences which were "not exactly the Great Train Robbery".

He accused neighbours of being so prejudiced against the pensioner that it amounted to a witch-hunt.

Mr Muller said Dawe was a colourful country character who required tolerance despite his eccentric behaviour.