Crawley nightmare neighbour spared jail - for now

A NIGHTMARE neighbour has been given six months to "prove he can behave" or face prison.

Gordon Clarke, who has terrorised neighbours in Black Dog Walk for almost 20 years, appeared in court for breaching an anti social behaviour order.

The Asbo banned the 50-year-old from harassing neighbours living near his Northgate home.

Richard Barton, prosecuting, said Clarke breached the Asbo during a conversation with neighbour Graham Sanger on June 7.

Mr Barton added: "Mr Clarke said 'your son is a paedophile and you are friends with paedophiles and you let them in your house. Anyway, you will be dead and I will be able to dance on your grave, unless you're buried at sea'."

Barney Waylen, mitigating, said the Clarke family might leave the home they bought 25 years ago, though he could not give the court any assurance.

Mr Waylen said Clarke's behaviour stems from difficulties suffered in his childhood.

He added: "This is the first time in his life that he really accepts he is a difficult person.

"He realises this simply can't go on and he must do something about it.

"He realises it is him that is going to have to move if he is going to survive in normal society."

In October, Clarke admitted breaching the Asbo on June 7.

At Lewes Crown Court on Monday, Judge Simon Coltart gave Clarke six months to change his behaviour.

He said: "There will be no sentence today. I want to see that you mean what you say about taking the various aspects of help that are being offered to you.

"I am going to give you the chance to prove to me that you can behave yourself.

"You must remember there are other people in your road who have an equal right to peace and privacy."

Clarke was given a deferred sentence, meaning he will return to court in six months and a judge will review his progress.

Judge Coltart added: "You can rest assured that if you haven't come up to scratch then to prison you will go."

Clarke's harassment of his neighbours has included smearing animal excrement on their houses and threatening to dance on the grave of an ex-police officer who had died.

He was released in February following a prison sentence handed out in October.