Liam made life for his elderly neighbours insufferable (Picture: SWNS)
A video has shown a ‘neighbour from hell’ terrorising elderly residents while wearing a Spiderman mask.
Liam Bain, 34, wore the full face mask while he made the lives of homeowners in their 60s, 70s and 80s a ‘misery’.
Preston Crown Court was told his victims had felt like ‘prisoners in their own homes’ due to his ‘consistent coercive behaviour.’
And the court also heard how he told one of his neighbours: ‘You lot can’t do anything about it, I will still be here when all of you are dead.’
Prosecutors outlined a lengthy list of ways Bain had regularly behaved in a bizarre and unpleasant manner towards others in the village of Longton, Lancs.
This included spitting, shouting and flexing his muscles at his victims and harassing workmen who were doing work on properties.
His bizarre behaviour made residents afraid to leave (Picture: SWNS)
He also sprayed one woman’s car with a jet wash while she was driving past to make her think she had hit something.
And once she got out of the car to check, Bain then soaked her and shouted abuse at her.
He also kicked a football at his neighbours’ houses in an effort to intimidate them, and then made V-signs at their family when they came to visit.
He was further heard beeping his horn when he saw them in the street, flashing his headlights and staring at them.
Bain also aimed a laser pen at a woman while she was driving, causing her to swerve.
And he was heard using his leaf blowers in the early hours of the morning and also played loud music from his van at 4am outside his victims’ homes.
One of the victims said in an impact statement to the court: ‘Emotionally it has taken its toll on me as not a day goes by without persistent, agonising torment being inflicted on me, it is absolutely awful.
‘Liam Bain made me a prisoner in my own home with his consistent coercive behaviour.’
Another victim said: ‘After my first encounter with Liam Bain, I started to notice his peculiar behaviour towards me was increasing and he was fixated with my movements which over the years have developed into daily stalking.
‘I did not know Liam Bain prior to moving into this area and I had never heard of him, but his constant unwanted attention has left me an emotional wreck.
‘Liam Bain clearly knows my routine as he is always there watching, mocking and shouting abuse at me, which causes me extreme anxiety, distress and alarm.’
Another said: ‘My retirement has been spoiled by his behaviour, and the lack of ability to go about my normal daily life without this level of intimidation is a real cause for concern.’
Bain has been jailed for 18 weeks (Picture: Lancashire Police)
Bain, of Parish Gardens, Leyland, pleaded guilty to five counts of harassment and was jailed for 18 weeks when he appeared before a judge at Preston Crown Court earlier this week.
He was also issued with a restraining order, banning him from entering the streets where the offences took place or contacting his victims directly or indirectly for the next five years.
Judge Recorder Kevin Slack told him: ‘There is, in my judgement, no other way to describe you than behaving as the neighbour from hell.
‘You have caused the residents of these two streets untold misery without there being any cause for you to behave the way you have. Some of that may have been childish behaviour but that does not do justice to the scale of misery your conduct has caused.’
PC Jenny Fairhurst, from Lancashire Police, said: ‘Liam Bain engaged in a sinister campaign of abuse and harassment against his neighbours for reasons only known to himself.
‘His behaviour against his victims – aged between 60 and 85-years-of-age – had a profound impact on their daily lives, causing them to change their behaviour and effectively become prisoners in their own homes.
‘It shocks me that someone can have such blatant disregard for their neighbours, especially given their ages and vulnerabilities.
‘I want to be clear that this form of intimidatory behaviour will not be tolerated by Lancashire Police and we will do everything in our power to put the perpetrators of such acts before the courts.’
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