A judge ruling in a nuisance neighbour case declared people should be pleased not to live in the same street.

He branded Northview Drive and Fleetwood Avenue "the most litigious corner of Westcliff" after handing down a court injunction to Dave Batter ordering him to stay away from Danny Cooch.

Judge Michael Yelton said: "This warfare has been going on for a number of years.

"Mr Cooch says the campaign has been carried on by Mr Batter which consists of spurious visits to next door, setting the alarm off, staring through the window, revving the car and matters of that sort - low-level harassment."

Hearing the case - which centred around Mr Batter causing harassment while attending the home of Mr Cooch's next door neighbour - the judge found that there was some "fault on both sides".

He made no award of costs or damages and said: "The only conclusion is that we are all very pleased that we don't live in this street."

Mr Batter, of Fleetwood Avenue, was subject to a previous court injunction but Mr Cooch admitted that he had previously assaulted him because he had "had enough of the man".

Mr Batter claimed he had visited Mr Cooch's neighbour, a female friend, in Northview Drive, so that he could borrow a car at weekends.

The order restraining Mr Batter was made for 12 months to prevent him from assaulting, threatening, harassing Mr Cooch, his co-habitant Maureen Naughton or their daughter.

He was also ordered not to attend or try to enter Mr Cooch's home or the neighbours he had been visiting.

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