A NEIGHBOURLY dispute over noise ended with a man appearing before magistrates court.

Joshua William Hodges, 28, of Sudbury Avenue, Hampton Dene, Hereford, pleaded guilty to two counts of using threatening or abusive words/behaviour or disorderly behaviour likely to cause harassment, alarm or distress.

Peter Love, prosecuting at Hereford Magistrates Court on Thursday, said the dispute was between Hodges and the victim who lives with her son in the flat above him.

On October 4, the victim was hoovering her flat when she heard the defendant shouting from his flat below.

A short time later the victim’s door bell rang and it was Hodges at the door.

He complained about the noise and "banging" caused by the cleaning going on near his flat.

The victim tried to close the door and Hodges put his foot in the door but eventually she closed the door and he left.

The defendant went back downstairs and she could hear him shouting ‘stop it, stop it’.

The victim called police to report his behaviour and carried on her work.

She looked outside into the carpark below and saw the defendant getting into the car with his grandmother.

Hodges looked up at the victim and shouted at her ‘burn in hell you whore’. He then verbally swore at the victim before sticking his fingers up.

The second incident happened on October 10, when the victim heard a noise.

“She could see the head of a broom outside the window which hit the window five or six times with force,” said Mr Love.

The victim shouted that she was going to call police and in response Hodges said ‘you’re going to be sorry’.

In interview, Hodges said that he ‘just snapped’ due to his neighbours banging the floor.

Representing himself Hodges said that he suffered from depression and anxiety. He said that the dispute had led to him making plans to move out of his flat which he has lived in for eight years.

“It’s all true and my behaviour was unacceptable but there is more to it,” said Hodges.

“It has just escalated and at the beginning it was her partner playing games with me.”

Magistrates handed Hodges a conditional discharge for nine months. He was also ordered to pay £135 costs.