NIGHTMARE NEIGHBOUR NICHOLAS RIDGE AVOIDS JAIL AFTER HARASSING VICTIMS WITH HOMOPHOBIC SIGNS AND THREATS
A nightmare neighbour who displayed homophobic signs in the communal area of his flat and used his walking stick to simulate a sex act has been spared jail.Pensioner Nicholas Ridge sent one neighbour insulting messages about her Lithuanian heritage after she spurned his advances.
He also made threats to kill a friend and sent him a picture of a dead fox after he failed to return a lighter – 15 years after he borrowed it.
Ridge’s solicitor said that he’d decided to speak his mind after suffering a cancer scare.
Kirklees magistrates made a restraining order banning him from contacting four people – two of whom live in the same block of flats in Edgerton.
The 65-year-old pleaded guilty to harassment, sending an indecent communication, racially-aggravated harassment, an offence of harassment putting another in fear of violence, and two charges of possession of an offensive weapon in public.
One of the victims lived in the same flat complex as Ridge in Glenside Close.
Alex Bozman, prosecuting, said: “He received unwanted emails and a number of items were left on display in the communal hallway which had offensive comments written on them and were homophobic in nature.
The defendant banged on his door and simulated sex with his walking stick.” Another neighbour was repeatedly pestered by Ridge after providing him with her contact details for the purpose of trying to arrange a window cleaner for the complex.
He sent her emails and texts making reference to her ethnicity, one message stating: “You must have a sense of humour to believe that a top chap like me would be interested in a Lithuanian factory worker.” As a result of falling out with his friend over a lighter he had not returned 15 years after borrowing it, Ridge sent him threatening emails.
Mr Bozman said: “One of these made demands of money along with the message ‘comply or die’ and subsequently he was sent a shot of a dead fox.
Ridge upset another acquaintance with a threatening message and when police arrested him they found him with a hammer and knife.
He claimed these were for his own protection as there was crime where he lived.
Emily Price, mitigating, explained that the retired salesman was recently diagnosed with cancer and lost his girlfriend of 41 years.
She said: “At the time he felt he was feeling that he wasn’t going to put up with difficulties from other people.
“He stood up for himself and confronted those when he felt he’d been wronged although he accepts his behaviour wasn’t correct.” Mrs Price added that her client became upset with his friend when he failed to hand back a solid gold lighter that had belonged to his father.
Magistrates sentenced Ridge to two months in prison, suspended for 18 months.
They made an indefinite restraining order banning him from contacting each of the four victims.
Ridge also has to pay £100 compensation to each of them and the weapons will be forfeited and destroyed.
