Derbyshire drunkard terrorised amputee neighbour branding him “paedo”

Tom Sharpe, 62, would march “up and down” the Alfreton street he and his victim lived on shouting “rapist”, “sexist”, “paedo” and “grass” after the 56-year-old reported his behaviour to police.

Prosecutor Becky Allsop told Chesterfield Magistrates Court how on one occasion Sharpe turned up at his scared neighbour’s home with a lump hammer.

She described how Sharpe was waving it around shouting he wanted to “cave” the victim’s skull in” - who the court heard had never been before the courts accused of sexual offences.

Ms Allsop said: “The victim lives in a bungalow directly in front of Mr Sharpe’s address - he is an amputee who gets about in a wheelchair and has issues with his memory.”

The prosecutor said Sharpe’s antisocial behaviour escalated after his victim complained to the police about him.

She said: “He spoke to police and described being terrified of the defendant because he could not run away.

“He says police went to see Mr Sharpe and as soon as they left the defendant was at his gate again, shouting.”

During one scary encounter Sharpe appeared at the disabled man’s property with an iron bar, saying “I’m going to come at night and smash your skull in”.

He also threw soil at the victim’s living room window.

A neighbour who witnessed many of the outbursts against the victim said Sharpe appeared to be “regularly in drink” and said “I was alarmed as I thought ‘that could be me’.”

Sharpe’s solicitor John Last said his client’s first conviction for being drunk and disorderly went back to 1979.

He added: “Since then he had eight further convictions for drunk and disorderly - you can see how long alcohol has played a part in his life.”

Sharpe, of Highfield Drive, South Normanton, admitted harassment.

He was handed a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity days and a two-year restraining order.

He was also ordered to pay £300 court costs, £200 compensation, a £34 victim surcharge and fined £60.

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