Our lives were made a misery by a nightmare neighbour… but he slipped up and is banned from our village for 15 YEARS

TERRIFIED residents still live in fear of a crowbar-wielding neighbour from hell – even though he has been banished from their idyllic village until 2037.

Adrian Stairs threatened his neighbours with weapons, made their lives "hell," chased delivery drivers and needed four police vehicles present when he was arrested.

The 59-year-old was told by a court this week that he cannot return to the house he shared with his partner in Blisworth, Northants, for 15 years.

Magistrates heard that the unemployed resident used a chainsaw to chop down established trees in other peoples' gardens.

The neighbour from hell also threatened one horrified resident with a brick.

A judge slapped him with a restraining order banning him from the street until he is 74, but families there still fear he will sneak back for revenge.

Security cameras have been installed on most houses up and down the road, and neighbours were hesitant to talk.

But one neighbour said: “Everybody is relieved that Stairs has been banned from the village. He made our lives hell.

“He once chased a terrified delivery driver all the way down the street with a crowbar because he had parked across his drive for a couple of minutes.

“Another time a van had a flat battery and police had to stand guard while a recovery team got it going again.

“And four police cars turned up when they came to arrest Stairs.

“Some of us would stand up to him. But he picked on anyone if he thought they were weaker than him.”

One middle-aged woman trembled with fear as she said: “It’s not just Stairs, he has a whole family who seem just as bad as him.

“It was a relief when we heard the court had banned him from the village.

“But various threats are still being made and I had to ring the police again only this morning."

It all started when Stairs chopped down shrubs and trees in his neighbours' garden that had sentimental value.

They had been growing for more than 20 years and were gifted to the couple by relatives who had since passed away.

They refused to talk about Stairs when our reporter knocked on their door.

Neighbours claimed that Stairs also tried to extend his garden into allotment land at the back of his home.

The court was able to ban him from the village because he claimed his house was owned by his partner and he didn’t actually live there, according to neighbours.

“Stairs thought he was being clever,” said one. “But the ruse backfired on him. That gave the magistrates the power to order him to stay away.”

However, the restraining order has not put all residents' minds at ease.

Another neighbour said: “Despite the restraining order we all fear he will probably try and sneak back at night.

“That’s why I don’t want my name used. He’s always waving a crowbar about and I wouldn’t like him trying to wrap one round my head.”

As well as the restraining order, Stairs was handed a six-week suspended prison sentence at Northampton Magistrates’ Court for criminal damage and assault.

He absconded from court before the sentence could be handed out but was rearrested and appeared again on December 2.

That resulted in another two-week suspended sentence to run concurrently, along with a 60-day rehabilitation order.

Anti-social behaviour police sergeant Wyn Hughes said afterwards: “When the victims in this case were informed of the restraining order, it was like a weight lifted off their shoulders.

“This is something they have struggled with for so long. I am so pleased for them.”

Stairs is now believed to be living in Wellingborough, about 20 miles away. But his partner is still at the house.

Two cars were parked in the drive but the curtains were drawn when our reporter called there. Nobody answered the door.