An elderly woman has been slapped with a restraining orderafter stealing plant pots from a next door neighbour for her own garden.
Elaine Kelly, 71, also helped herself to lighting and decorations as she ransacked Patricia Thorley’s shed in a bid to liven up her back yard.
Her target, who lived in the adjoining bungalow, saidaround £1,000 worth of items mysteriously went missing over a period of several years, includingclothing, food and even sanitary products on occasions when she invited Kelly into her home.
Kelly also made her neighbour feel ‘uncomfortable’ and dictated to her how she should arrange her own garden area.
The whole ordeal eventually led to Ms Thorley moving out of her bungalow.
At Chester Magistrates’ Court Kelly pleaded guilty to burglary and was handed a 12-month community order and told to pay £400 in compensation to Ms Thorley.
The restraining order banning her from contacting her victim will last five years.
Ms Thorley told police: ‘Elaine’s actions have led me to losing trust in people and I now find it hard to talk to anyone. I have lost nearly all my confidence and feel so isolated from everyone.
Elaine Kelly, pictured,has been slapped with a restraining order after stealing plant pots from a next door neighbour for her own garden
‘It made me feel that I was losing my mind. Things were going missing and it made me feel that I was losing my memory.
‘I now never let my handbag out of my sight. It is next to me even when I sleep.
‘I had to move house as I did not feel safe in my own home. I felt like a prisoner in my own home.
‘She made my home an unsafe environment. Stealing my possessions left me short of stuff I needed, leaving me without.’
Miss Diana Przemecka, prosecuting, said: ‘The complainant in this matter has lived next door to the defendant for approximately 10 years as the defendant moved in to the next door property in approximately 2014.
‘She stated at first the defendant was not very nice. She was talking down to the complainant and made her feel uncomfortable, even in her own garden.
‘She was constantly trying to take over her space, trying to control her garden. She wanted to do it herself, telling her where to put her plant pots.
‘Eventually this turned into the defendant doing it for the complainant. She was also taking garden decorations and putting them in her own garden, taking lights and plant pots.
Her target Patricia Thorley, who lived in the adjoining bungalow, pictured, said around £1,000 worth of items mysteriously went missing over a period of several years
‘The victim states that the defendant would also invite herself into the victim’s home.
‘Over the last few years, she noticed things going missing around the house and not where she left them. Three lampshades went missing from her little outshed and she also noticed cardigans, sanitary products and trivial matters like food going missing.
‘She states that overall she cannot put an exact total on the value of the items that the defendant has taken from her home. However, she submits that overall it is approximately £1,000 worth of stuff that the defendant has taken from her.’
Kelly’s lawyer Jim Edwards stressed the offence of burglary referred to a single day but added: ‘She is mortified by her actions and recognises that what she did was spiteful.
‘She does not recognise herself as the person who did these things but accepts it was her. She can only say she is sorry for what she has done.
‘She was interviewed last September. She has been waiting for this now since August, a long time.
‘It has affected her sleep, affected her life. She is supported by her daughter who comes and helps with shopping.’
In sentencing, District Judge Jack McGarva told Kelly: ‘Burglary is a very serious offence and this involved you invading someone else’s privacy.
At Chester Magistrates’ Court, pictured, Kelly pleaded guilty to burglary and was handed a 12-month community order
‘Your neighbour had trusted you with some access to her property and trusted you to deal with her property but you have broken that trust.
‘She is very upset about it. It had a significant impact on her wellbeing.
‘She made changes to her lifestyle and moved because of what you did.
‘There will be a restraining order because I believe that you have caused Patricia Thorley harassment, alarm and distress.’
