A PENSIONER branded a "neighbour from hell" has been jailed for 12 months.

Richard Charles Dawe, of Hollybed Street, Castlemorton, was convicted of breaching an anti-social behaviour order on three occasions and assaulting Janet Schooling with a walking stick, when he stood trial at Worcester Crown Court in August.

The 70-year-old Dawe, who denied the charges, was jailed for three months for each offence, to run consecutively.

Judge David Matthews, sitting at Birmingham Crown Court on Tuesday, said Dawe had adopted a "Godfather" type role that left his neighbours feeling intimidated.

"You go around behaving in a bizarre way; part bully, part eccentric and part busybody.

"You do and say things to and in the presence of your neighbours which, taken in isolation might be laughed off, but their cumulative effect is no laughing matter and has left a number of people in a relatively small and close community feeling threatened, anxious and intimidated by you.

"The courts have been extremely patient with you and given you the opportunity to stop your anti-social behaviour."

He said pre-sentence and psychiatric reports demonstrated that Dawe was able to curb his behaviour, adding: "You've chosen to continue a campaign of harassment, which these particular offences demonstrate.

"I'm satisfied that campaign has had a serious psychological effect on your neighbours.

"No judge wants to send a man of 70 to prison for offences that border on the pathetic, but your refusal to comply with the courts' orders simply leaves me with no alternative."

Mary Loram, defending, said Dawe had volunteered to become a Samaritans listener on remand at Blakenhurst prison and in the past had organised community events including jubilee celebrations and piano recitals.

Miss Loram also handed over a letter from Dawe's neighbours Mr and Mrs Wilkes.

"They've had their disputes in the past but these disputes have been solved by discussion and negotiation," she said.

However, Judge Matthews said this demonstrated Dawe could live "peaceably" when he chose to and imposed a 10-year anti-social behaviour order on him, to run concurrently with one that expires in March. He also ordered Dawe to pay court costs of £2,909.