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30
May
Pateley Bridge woman admits pouring cooking oil and chip waste on man’s car
A Pateley Bridge woman who poured leftover chip waste and washing up liquid on a man’s car appeared in court on Friday (May 30).
Angela Clarke, 61, pleaded guilty to one count of harassment without violence and one count of criminal damage to property valued under £5,000 at Harrogate Magistrates Court.
Kay Barnard, prosecuting, told the court the defendant and the named complainant were neighbours at the time of the offences, which took place between May and October last year.
On May 25, Clarke verbally abused the man after he parked his car outside her flat due to ongoing maintenance work in the area.
She regularly shouted at him through his window and through his door.
The man also saw Clarke walking past and banging on his window and staring into his property numerous times, Ms Barnard said.
On one occasion, Clarke shouted at the man:
I’m going to get you kicked out of this flat.
Ms Barnard also said Clarke “smothered food” on the man’s windows, as well as “salt and seafood sauce on his car”.
On July 16, Clarke let herself into the man’s flat while drunk and asked: “Can we be friends again?”.
The man told the defendant to leave, but she said she was lonely and asked to stay, the court heard.
The prosecution said:
On September 17, the defendant was shouting and swearing at the man. She told him to ‘move his car’.
He told her she was breaching her bail conditions following her arrest [as the man had previously reported Clarke to the police].
Clarke then went to the complainant's flat and shouted verbal abuse, before staring through his window. The complainant said she moved away after he called the police, but he then heard some commotion and found his car covered in cooking oil and leftover chip waste.
Clarke poured washing up liquid on the man’s window the following day.
When he tried to take a photo of her doing this, Clarke called the man a “pervert” and proceeded to pour washing up liquid on his car, the court heard.
Ms Barnard told the court:
On one occasion, the defendant threw a foil container, which had food in it, into the complainant’s flat.
He also found the word 'porno' written twice on his door in lipstick on October 13.
Mental health problems
Sean Wilson, defending, told the court the offences came shortly after Clarke's 40-year-marriage ended.
She would sometimes turn to alcohol in the aftermath. Mr Wilson said her alcohol use was “over what is considered normal”.
Mr Wilson said Clarke suffers with anxiety and depression, as well as memory problems - for which she has a care package.
However, Clarke has taken steps to address her drinking and is attending appointments with an agency, the court heard.
The case was adjourned for a pre-sentence report to be prepared.
Clarke will return to Harrogate Magistrates Court on July 18.
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