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| Asbo OAP 'string of convictions' | Asbo OAP 'string of convictions' |
| (about 12 hours later) | |
| An 81-year-old woman accused of making her neighbours' lives "absolute hell" has a string of convictions involving neighbourhood disputes, a court hears. | |
| Dorothy Evans, from Abergavenny, Monmouthsire, denies harassment and breaching an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo). | Dorothy Evans, from Abergavenny, Monmouthsire, denies harassment and breaching an anti-social behaviour order (Asbo). |
| Mrs Evans had previously been convicted of harassment and breaching restraining orders, Cardiff Crown Court heard. | Mrs Evans had previously been convicted of harassment and breaching restraining orders, Cardiff Crown Court heard. |
| Neighbours Angela and Roberto Casa said they encountered daily abuse. | Neighbours Angela and Roberto Casa said they encountered daily abuse. |
| On Wednesday, the jury heard how Mrs Evans had told the Casas' 13-year-old daughter she was a witch and would cast a spell on her family and kill her pet dog. | On Wednesday, the jury heard how Mrs Evans had told the Casas' 13-year-old daughter she was a witch and would cast a spell on her family and kill her pet dog. |
| Angela Casa described several neighbourly disputes, including over parking and flooding problems. She claimed the pensioner called her a prostitute and that she tried to run her off the road on several occasions and had hit her with a walking stick. | Angela Casa described several neighbourly disputes, including over parking and flooding problems. She claimed the pensioner called her a prostitute and that she tried to run her off the road on several occasions and had hit her with a walking stick. |
| Mr Casa then said 'We would all be better off when she's 6ft under' Barbara Thomas, daughter | Mr Casa then said 'We would all be better off when she's 6ft under' Barbara Thomas, daughter |
| She told the court that her family feared she would have a nervous breakdown and that her daughter had been so badly affected by her comments about her being a witch that she insisted on wearing a crucifix. | She told the court that her family feared she would have a nervous breakdown and that her daughter had been so badly affected by her comments about her being a witch that she insisted on wearing a crucifix. |
| Taking to the witness stand on Thursday, Mrs Evans' daughter Barbara Thomas, who lives with her in Park Crescent, said it was the Casas who were the antagonists. | Taking to the witness stand on Thursday, Mrs Evans' daughter Barbara Thomas, who lives with her in Park Crescent, said it was the Casas who were the antagonists. |
| She told the jury on one occasion she was sitting with her mother in a car outside her house when Mr Casa put a hosepipe through an open passenger window and drenched her mother. Mr Casa had previously denied the claim. | She told the jury on one occasion she was sitting with her mother in a car outside her house when Mr Casa put a hosepipe through an open passenger window and drenched her mother. Mr Casa had previously denied the claim. |
| On another, she claimed Mr Casa approached them in an aggressive manner and swore at them, telling them to move their car further down the road. | On another, she claimed Mr Casa approached them in an aggressive manner and swore at them, telling them to move their car further down the road. |
| "Mr Casa then said 'We would all be better off when she's 6ft under'," the jury heard. | "Mr Casa then said 'We would all be better off when she's 6ft under'," the jury heard. |
| I've never seen her aggressive to the Casa family. I have seen the Casa family aggressive to my mother Barbara Thomas | I've never seen her aggressive to the Casa family. I have seen the Casa family aggressive to my mother Barbara Thomas |
| "I said 'leave her alone', and he said 'I won't stop until I get her from here. The police will believe us and not you two'." | "I said 'leave her alone', and he said 'I won't stop until I get her from here. The police will believe us and not you two'." |
| Prosecutor Phillip Morris told the court that Mrs Evans had four previous convictions for harassment and eight convictions for breaching a restraining order, between 1999 and 2005. | Prosecutor Phillip Morris told the court that Mrs Evans had four previous convictions for harassment and eight convictions for breaching a restraining order, between 1999 and 2005. |
| He asked Mrs Thomas if her mother could be aggressive. | He asked Mrs Thomas if her mother could be aggressive. |
| "My mother is an elderly lady, very deaf, with a lot of ailments. Respectable people take those things into consideration," she said. | "My mother is an elderly lady, very deaf, with a lot of ailments. Respectable people take those things into consideration," she said. |
| "I've never seen her aggressive to the Casa family. I have seen the Casa family aggressive to my mother." | "I've never seen her aggressive to the Casa family. I have seen the Casa family aggressive to my mother." |
| Mrs Casa said the pensioner made her life 'absolute hell' | Mrs Casa said the pensioner made her life 'absolute hell' |
| Mr Morris asked if her mother responded in anyway. | Mr Morris asked if her mother responded in anyway. |
| "She gets very upset over it, which is understandable when respect isn't given to elderly people," Mrs Thomas answered. | "She gets very upset over it, which is understandable when respect isn't given to elderly people," Mrs Thomas answered. |
| She told the court they enjoyed a good relationship with their neighbours until January 2006 when they told the Casas water from their property was leaking on to their premises. | She told the court they enjoyed a good relationship with their neighbours until January 2006 when they told the Casas water from their property was leaking on to their premises. |
| The jury were shown a photograph Mrs Thomas had taken of Mrs Casa looking through Mrs Evans' garage window. | The jury were shown a photograph Mrs Thomas had taken of Mrs Casa looking through Mrs Evans' garage window. |
| Mrs Thomas told the court she kept cameras in the car, hallway and garage to take pictures of any "evidence". | Mrs Thomas told the court she kept cameras in the car, hallway and garage to take pictures of any "evidence". |
| When asked why she did not take a photograph of her mother being soaked by Mr Casa's hosepipe, Mrs Thomas replied: "I should have." | When asked why she did not take a photograph of her mother being soaked by Mr Casa's hosepipe, Mrs Thomas replied: "I should have." |
| Mrs Evans was due to give evidence on Thursday, but the court heard she did not feel well enough. | Mrs Evans was due to give evidence on Thursday, but the court heard she did not feel well enough. |
| She was charged with two counts of harassing her next door neighbours in Park Crescent, and six charges of breaching an Asbo. | She was charged with two counts of harassing her next door neighbours in Park Crescent, and six charges of breaching an Asbo. |
| Late on Thursday Judge Roderick Denyer directed the jury to find Mrs Evans not guilty of the harassment charge regarding Mr Casa. | Late on Thursday Judge Roderick Denyer directed the jury to find Mrs Evans not guilty of the harassment charge regarding Mr Casa. |
| The jury is expected to be sent out to consider its verdict on Friday. | The jury is expected to be sent out to consider its verdict on Friday. |