Morecambe 'neighbour from hell' back in court after breaching order

Joanne Bailey, 51, was initially jailed in January 2020 after breaching a civil injunction imposed by Lancaster Magistrates’ Court a year earlier.

Bailey had subjected various residents of Middleton to anti-social behaviour, the most serious of which saw her use a hosepipe to flood the cavity wall of an adjoining house with water.

Other behaviour included playing loud music, and throwing stones at houses.

Repeated attempts had been made by the police to mediate the situation and encourage Bailey to change her behaviour, but all had failed.

After a short time in prison, she continued to harass her neighbours and was again locked up in May of the same year.

Police said Bailey had been released early from a 26-week sentence for a previous breach of the injunction, whereupon she immediately continued her anti-social behaviour against her neighbour by playing loud music late into the evening.

However, following her release she once again began breaching her injunction, including on six occasions in June and July 2021, by playing loud music, throwing food, and harassing her neighbour by pointing cameras at their property.

She received another suspended sentence before being jailed again in October 2021.

And Bailey has now been before the courts again after Lancaster City Council brought forward a contempt of court complaint.

At Lancaster County Court, Bailey admitted breaching the injunction eight times in April, May and July.

The judge handed Bailey, of Low Road in Middleton, near Morecambe, a 22-week custodial sentence suspended for a period of 12 months.

The court order has also been extended to 2025.

Coun Caroline Jackson, leader of Lancaster City Council and cabinet member with responsibility for community safety, said: “The impact of Ms Bailey’s behaviour on her neighbours over a long period of time has been significant and persistent.

“We will continue to work with the police using the legislation afforded to us to ensure Ms Bailey’s neighbours are able to live free from harassment in their own homes.”