By Graham Brown

A TEENAGER who waged a two-week hate campaign against his neighbours in a quiet Angus hamlet was sent to a young offenders institution and made the subject of a five-year anti-social behaviour order yesterday.

Sheriff Kevin Veal at Forfar said 19-year-old Philip Ramshaw’s behaviour must have made life “intolerable” for others in a row of houses at Fern, near Brechin, after hearing how they were subjected to stone throwing and vandalism at the hands of the young menace.

But Ramshaw’s most destructive act was to twice scale the roof of a neighbouring property before putting a garden hose down the chimney and turning on the water supply, causing £3500 worth of damage.

Ramshaw, of Esk Park Terrace, Brechin, appeared for sentence having previously admitted charges that on April 25 and May 3 this year at Windsor Terrace, Fern, he maliciously inserted a hose down the chimney of a house and turned on the water supply, damaging the building.

He also admitted breaking panes of glass and perspex in greenhouses at the same location on April 19, wilfully or recklessly damaging two car tyres on April 20 and, on April 23, throwing stones at two houses, placing others in a state of fear and alarm.

Ramshaw also admitted two charges of breaching bail, including an occasion on May 16 when he failed to comply with a specific condition that he would not enter Fern.

Depute fiscal Brian Bell told the court the accused had moved into the community to stay with a family who were already the subject of neighbour complaints.

“Since moving in the accused has caused nothing but unhappiness for the law-abiding citizens that reside there,” said Mr Bell.

He said complaints had been made to police and the local authority about Ramshaw’s behaviour.

“These are not random attacks, these are targeted specifically at the people who have complained, in the hope that, as has happened in many areas, the behaviour just drives the good people out.”

The court heard that following the first hosepipe incident suspicion fell on the accused, and CCTV cameras were set up which then captured him climbing onto the roof and turning on the water supply.

Questioned by police about the incidents, Ramshaw admitted his guilt and said, “I put it down his chimney and filled his house to inconvenience him.”

Mr Bell added that one of the bail offences occurred when police and council staff went to Fern to speak to residents and saw the accused bouncing on a trampoline in the front garden.

The family he was staying with denied he had been there, but Ramshaw was caught soon after.