I faced 6 months in jail after ‘Karen’ neighbour accused me of parking on her flowers in feud – I wasn’t first target
A TRADESMAN faced six months in jail after a neighbour accused him of parking on her flowers – before the case was thrown out.
James Monk, 36, was accused by neighbour Karen Chazen of “over-revving” his work van and “antagonistic parking” during a bitter feud in Waterloo, Liverpool.
Ms Chazen, 54, also claimed the plasterer taunted her with a Roy Orbison tune and sabotaged her Wi-Fi amid 30 separate complaints made to police.
She told officers James had mocked her by whistling Orbison’s 1960 hit ”Only the Lonely” within earshot of her and jammed the Wi-Fi signal on her doorbell camera, causing his face and van to be pixelated.
Another complaint alleged James had interfered with the locking mechanism of her Fiat 500 car to allow a thief to open the driver’s door and steal a bottle of wine.
James faced up to six months’ imprisonment after being charged with harassment and appeared at Sefton Magistrates’ Court.
But the case was thrown out after it emerged Ms Chazen had made numerous complaints about a string of other people, including her previous neighbours and workmen operating outside her former home.
The court heard she made complaints to the owner of her apartment block about water damage to her ceiling and light fittings, when no leaks were found, and she also filed 14 different grievances about the police probe into her dispute with James.
Ms Chazen gave three witness statements about her neighbour to police, one of which amounted to 18 pages.
James eventually moved out of his home due to the continuous allegations against him.
The court heard he had been living trouble-free in an apartment block for ten years, but problems began on the day Ms Chazen moved into the flat below him in June 2022.
She told the hearing: “I had an infection which needed root canal surgery and there was lots of noise upstairs which went on for four hours.
”Nobody likes somebody knocking on a door asking you to be quiet and I just said ‘I’m awfully sorry, I am unwell’, but Mr Monk replied ‘I’ve got a f***ing kid’.”
Ms Chazen, who was in tears in the witness box, said she had to start moving neighbours’ wheelie bins after they began being left outside her flat.
She complained to the flat management company, but claimed to have seen James pushing one bin towards her flat before throwing it at her – narrowing missing her head.
Ms Chazen said she called police and reported her neighbour for assault, before claiming to have been verbally abused.
She also told the court James would park his van to block her window and would “rev it 10 or 20 times” as he arrived and left for work each day.
On another occasion, she claimed he “parked over and damaged my lavender flowers”.
Ms Chazen alleged she was intimidated by her neighbour and left scared to leave her own home.
“At times my car was blocked in so that I could not leave the driveway and I had to wait until he had gone out to avoid abuse,” she said.
“I was frightened to leave. I believe he tampered with the CCTV.”
Police spoke to Monk and suggested the warring pair attend mediation sessions.
“His behaviour got worse, became more frequent, more nasty,” Ms Chazen said.
“There was name calling, banging on the windows, banging on the door, just intimidating me, several times a day.”
Mr Ellis said Miss Chazen had ”wanted Mr Monk out” of his home and told her: “There was a pattern going on.
“For ten years, Mr Monk is there without any problems whatsoever.
“When you move in he apparently turns into a Mr Hyde character who is making your life hell. Strange that.
“You were desperate to get police around to tell him off even though he had not done anything. Police got complaint after complaint after complaint but the only person who is causing any problem is you. There is a queue of people you have complained about. You are a serial complainer, are you not?”
In response Miss Chazen replied: “I know my rights. I am a serial victim.”
In dismissing the case JP Charles Wood said: “We have to consider the credibility of the complainant and she was not consistent, she was vague, and at times somewhat confused.
“We did not feel that the prosecution proved all the required elements of evidence.
“There has to be two or more behaviours to constitute a course of harassment but we found no evidence that would show that.”
Mr Monk and Miss Chazen both declined to comment after the case.