Crazy neighbour + AVO + do nothing cops

[Ian Robinson]

I wish my crazy neighbour would become nothing ....darn it .... he's been let back out of the loonie bin and been home a couple of days , and started flipping almost immediately once he made up for lost time on the booze and pot and what ever else his poison is ....
Back to magristrate on Thursday for AVO extension No.2 for another 12 months (wish the magistrate would give us an extension for 5 years or even 2 years), he was a no show at the court house, and almost as soon as got back home he was yelling abuse directed at me from inside his house .... OK I let that pass .... he maybe thought the AVO would not get extended ago ....he was upset by the call from the courthouse telling him he'll have to go back there

... he threw a big stick at my roof yesterday , has been banging on my windows and doors and running away before I had the chance to catch him in the act and confront him last night (I know these were him because I heard his door slam shut moments after each time !, and has been agressively charging at people (neighbours , kids , and yelling abuse at them) , been ranting and raving (mostly unintelligible), and yelling obsenities and threats at (us and his other neighbour and at unknowable whatevertheyares) , playing V Loud music and the TV V loud (I can't hear my own TV at normal volume (thinks it hides his ranting and raving and flipsouts) and I was woken up at 4am this morning by hoons about 300 m away near the local shops and a couple of minutes after it sounded like someone told them to rack off , I heard a car pull up right out front of his place and him getting a visit from his dealer (loud voices).

I told the cops twice yesterday about the breaches of the AVO and all they were prepared to do was patrol the street .... so nothing.
I called 000 twice today , the trigger was him suddenly running acrross my front yard (another breach) and then yelling abuse at someone when he walked straight back to his place ( only people on the street were some kids playing about 150 away), Cops came about 90 minutes later and onlt spoke to him then left , and he immediately when they were outside of earshot come back out and yelled obsenities and ranted at us (me and the neighbour) so I called 000 again and as far as I can tell , the cops have not come back (been 2 hrs) and I think the idiot has gone out somewhere now , his house was in darkness when I looked about an hour ago.

I wish nothing but bad things happen to this guy .... my wife feels very insecure in her own home - keeps all the exterior doors deadlocked all the time, and I am so worried about he'll do next that I don't feel confortable leaving her in the house alone. I've told the cops this several times .... yet they still haven't charged him with breaching the AVO.

Selling up and leaving is not an option : would never find a buyer even if I was willing to sell and run away from this cretin and his bull , first thing the buyers would ask "what are the neighbours like ?" .... he's a deal killer.

Sorry for off loading here .... but I am so dammed fustrated by all this and my wife and I feel we are at our wits end and the cops don't seem to be prepared to do more than talk to him (he of cause flips some switch in his head and acts like nothing has happened and looks and sounds to all intents like a sane person and he turns on the charm).

Any constructive realistic suggestions ?? (that wont land me prison or increase the danger to my wife if I not home and he gets thoughts as a consequence of them...)

[rally]

Yes, Get out the guide camera and set it up recording to the hard drive - then you'll have evidence !

Alternatively I can send you a box of matches !!!

[matt]

Record his behaviour on some form of tape, Ian...preferably video or on hard disc on computer.

If the cops won't do anything, consider making an approach to your local MP and see if he/she is willing to act on your behalf.

Do you have Neighbourhood Watch operating in your area? If not, take the initiative and set it up yourself with police assistance and work out a plan with your neighbours to form a collective voice of complaint to police.

What about your local council representative. Get to know him/her and find out what you can do to help their cause in return for a little help with your problem.

[Ian Robinson]

but he's probably over insured and would just build a bigger house on the same spot and come back again , meanwhile the who ever did the match lighting will wind up in gaol for a very long time.

I've considered buying a rifle and some bullets but this will only land me in trouble if I used it (on him).

His other neighbour (also has an AVO and she has managed to get a breach of his (he called 000 and said her teenage daughter (he has been heard to make lude comments about the girl and what he'd like to do with here (like she is 16 and he is in his late 40s !!! and she'd even look at him as a prospect that way) had been raped , when the cops and ambulence showed up , it became obvious this was not so .... max $3000 fine and 5 yrs in prison for that if he is convicted, the ambulence guy was able to indentify his mobile as the phone that made the call + and when the cops confronted him and examined the phone's last few calls he was caughtout and said he was sorry add max $2000 fine and 3 yrs in prison for the breach of AVO if convicted (they are also persuing this) -- I believe) ,
but mental health issues make it very complicated - the magistrated told me this when I asked him after the court extended my AVO - so it's hard to make these stick in court) to the magistrate (6 adjurnments so far !!!!) also suggested burning his house down ,
Didn't consider the autoguider for video servailence .... need a lens for it.

A cheap webcam from HND might be OK , do they also record sound ?

[Ric]

I agree with Matt, get onto your local MP they usually have some clout to get things rolling.

I had my garage broken into and my firefighting equipment stolen a few years back and the cops weren't even interested in coming out to have a look, one phone call later I had two senior detectives on my doorstep and taking down the list of serial numbers I had for them.

I didn't get my gear back but they take things a bit more seriously now around these parts.

[Ian Robinson]

I'll give Jill Hall's office in Belmont a call on Monday .

I've been keeping a very detailed blow by blow record of his behaviour since August.

[jjjnettie]

I feel very sorry for both you and your wife.
You shouldn't have to put up with this.
This person needs to be placed where he won't be a threat to others.

[norm]

Hi Ian,

I sympathize with what your going thru. Few years ago when we moved into our house, not long after this nutter moved into the house next door. This woman and her teenage daughter would have constant arguments over who smoked the last bit of dope and sex when boyfriends. (Constant swearing,, literally every 3rd word f this, you c#$t,yelling all hours of the day and night, so much so we were embarassed to invite friends over. We had 2 small kids aged 4yr and it wasn't right they should be subjected to this foul rubbish.
I remember getting the fence fix and the tradies copped a tirade of abuse:lol: Its funny now looking back, but at that time in our lives it was pretty miserable.:mad2:
It appeared she came from an abusive relationship and one thing that dumbfounded us the most was one morning in winter at 2am, she was playing with her 3yr old (which appeared she only had visitation rights only) playing in a makeshift swingset outside - just crazy. I kept a dossier of her rants, phone calls to police (they were useless), threats made to us and her strange behaviors etc. Literally took 16 months to get her evicted !!! She was getting rent on the cheap thru the Anglican church so she wasn't going to give that up without a fight.

The scary and sad thing is that she only moved to the next suburb and I truly pity her new neighbours. People like that don't change, destined to be social outcasts.

Keep your chin up mate! Its a downer of a situation to be in, but try not to let it consume you or your wife's energy. Things will eventually improve and get better.:thumbsup:

Cheers Norm

[richard omeara]

Sorry to hear you have a nut case neighbour.Dont know if it will help but i used to use a police scanner.It used to give me info on what type of people where living in my area.Unfortunatly these days thanks to the layed back policicies on drugs and alcohol there is one in every street.I wish it was the good old days when a kick in the ass would sought them out.Hound the crap out off your local MP.I mean every day every spare minute. Dont give up .They are there for use arn't they?

[casstony]

Ian, have you considered owning a guard dog to deter the intruder and provide comfort to your wife when you're not home?

[Ian Robinson]

Funny you should mention a dog ....

I was talking with my wife this afternoon after the cops came , rather loudly (so he could here it) saying to her that we should not have to put up this his crap and he should not be in circulation and how I was going to do everything possible to have him put away permanently or imprisoned , and the subject the of the nice alsation across the road came up ,

Great watch dog , never worries about people it knows , but barks like crazy when strangers go to close --- that is the road infront of it's owner's house ...
I let it out that if we get a dog it'll be an alsation and I'll train it to go for the throat on command .... like alsations HEAPS - dad had one when I was little boy and it was great with us kids and our friends and neighbours , and used to walk to school with my sisters and I , one day a big kid was picking on one (PUSHING ABOUT) of my sisters so the dog attacked the bully and dam near took his arm off. I didn't see it happen, I had gone on to high school by then.

The dog was not ordered put down as it was defending her.

That's the kind of dog we need.


Aside, my other neighbour (a nice widow who has a severely disabled daughter has sold up and moved out, (her daughter is very scared of the nutter) , she was lucky that people who bought her home came to inspect when the nutter was in hospital. What are they going to think when they move in and her and see his bulldust and bizar behaviour ? I'll be putting them in the know , but only when they ask me. I hope they don't think it's my wife and I when they hear it first.

[Tandum]

Ian, set up some cameras. Even cheap low quality jobs will do. Record what's going on for evidence.

[Miaplacidus]

Hi Ian,
I also sympathize. An awful situation to be in. I must admit that I don't like the trend towards owning dogs for self-defence, but I guess I can understand it. Watch out that your neighbour doesn't just try to bait the dog.
Documenting abuses that occur on your own property (perhaps you don't want to feed his paranoia by training the cameras on his house), especially with film, sounds like a good idea. Harrassing the pollies and the police is a necessary evil, too, I guess.
I don't think you mention if your neighbour is an owner occupier or if he is renting. Sounds like he couldn't hold down a job, so maybe he is renting, in which case he would be answerable to a landlord or an agent. If that was the case you could also maybe harrass them, get them involved, get them at least to not renew the lease.
Good luck.
Brian.

[Alchemy]

the camera idea is the one you must use. record him being a problem several times... then if you can handle him physically, when he comes over go out to (have a chat) and when he gets physical .... its time to take out the trash .... put him in hospital, broken nose, jaw etc . that should get the attention of the police etc and put him away for a while. if you cant handle him find a mate who can. dont use any weapons as it would then look bad for you, as it needs to be self defence, not a premeditated situation.

[Lee]

I bet the police would hassle the hell out of some harmless teenagers playing loud music after 10, but don't seem willing to do anything about these oxygen thieves. Makes you wonder what the point of an AVO is doesn't it?
I would suggest against any plans of violence on your part, unless you are attacked first, and would be documenting absolutely EVERYTHING for use as potential evidence.
I would also think of moving - I know it seems like you have given in, but is all this worth the stress?

[Kal]

I'd strongly suggest against any form of violence. By the sounds of things a moral person like yourself may be willing to break a nose, but a loonly like that would probably stick a knife in your heart. He is a nutter and obviously one without proper values and it would be a dangerous path. Camera is the best option, install a security system that will record on motion detect. If you get a dog make sure you get it properly trained. Last thing you want is the nutbag tossing meat with rat poison over the fence. A proper trained dog won't eat anything unless it comes from your hand. Definatly seek out the advice given about the council route. Maybe they have some anti-social clause or something? You never know.

[Ian Robinson]

His mum (who from what I have heard was also loopy but a rich widow or devorcee) actually bought the house for him (about 12 -14 yrs ago) , he's never worked since he moved in and has been getting progressively worse and more abusive to everyone in the neighbourhood, his mum recently died and he inherited half her estate sharing the liquidated estate with his sister (who is also .... you guessed it .... also as mad as a $2 watch ) .... got nearly $200k and spent a lot of it reroofing (new tiles) , recladding (plastic pretend boards) , recarpeting (all his carpet was stuffed) , fixing all the doors (some of the doors from inside actually had been wrecked ) , replacing the old timber window with aluminium windows , fixing wholes in his interior walls (he kicks and punches and runs into these , and hits then with chairs and anything else he can lay his hands on when he really flipping), retiled the bathroom , repainted inside and out, and splashed out on all new electric stuff and furnature ... can't be much of that money left but enough for him go from buying booze and pot and what ever his uses only on pension pay day to when ever he wants ... hence he has been a lot worse since he came into money ....

so unfortunately he owns the place so he has to be committed permanently under a involuntary order by the court, or a psychologist (cant understand why this has not happened) or his family (who wont - his sister is loopy as he is) , or be sent to goal , or die , or decide to move of his own accord for us to be rid of him .... NOT GOOD.

At this stage the hope we have is that his hoax 000 call (he claimed the girl of his other next door neighbours had been raped) and the breach of the AVO they have will land him in goal .... but he'll probably just get a smack on the wrist because he has a "mental health issue" and can afford a good solicitor rather than "Legal lack-of- Aid".

[Ian Robinson]

It took 2 big beefy cops to subdue him on another occasion earlier this year when he had been continuously flipping and ranting and yelling and I decided enough of this bull early one morning when he was having a horrendous flip out (I called 000 at 3am on that occasion and they arrived at 4am , and it took over two hours to get into his house and take him away that time).
I think I would need an "equaliser" to be able to deal physically with him - he's also bigger than me - bigger they are the harder they fall - my problem is he can run a lot faster than I can - moves bloody quick when he wants too I've seen him ....
But he's also a coward - I confronted him once (the usual confrontations have been vocal , this was physical !!!) and I was ready to come to blows (I wanted to deck him over very loud music day and night all the time despite the cops telling him to turn it down several times over a period of many days ) , he refused to come out and face me - I was telling to come outside and face me like a man and indicated I wanted to fight him - boy was I angry -- I was seeing RED!!!! .... I'm a peaceloving and non-violent man by temperment as anyone who knows me well will attest and have rarely been angry enough to resort to violence or even to threaten the use of violence - even when I was a kid - preferring to reason with people or just walk away or ignore them .... but - you can't reason with him , he want honour any agreement reached if you do talk with him (which is a waste of breath) , and it is impossible to ignore his behaviour.:mad2:

[anthony.tony]

Have you tried playing Loud mind bending Classical Music .Plus don't Talk to Him Just Stare at him.,Walk around your back yard and do mad things too.Roll around on the ground and scream and yell.Pretend your building something and keep coming in and out of the house .Come out of your house and crawl around the yard on your hands ans Knees.When its coming to Full Moon and Full Moon Stand out the back where he can see you and Do a Dance and Make signs at the Moon. Rguard's Tony

[Ian Robinson]

I refuse to be driven out of the home I have worked hard to pay for and have invested a lot of time and effort in improving by the likes of this prick. I bought my home 27 years ago and my wife and I have a very strong attachment to the home having raised a family in it and we are strongly invested in it and the local community and neighbourhood . Our moving means he has won and is the coward's way out .... I personally refuse to let him win , nor am I a coward. Even if we could find a buyer willing to vouluntarily live next to him .... would you buy a house with a neighbour like him ? I wouldn't (you'd never see me again after the house inspection and being told about him or here or seeing his behavior).

I want him gone (one way or another !!!).

His other neighbour feels the say way and are also hardworking people who have invested a lot time and money and effort in improving their home (which they bought of their mum - who had the house before they bought it off her and who lives with them).

[Ian Robinson]

No I haven't . I am not a good enough actor to pull it off (convincingly) - and if I did I don't fancy being taken away in an ambulance to Watt Street.

But I think a lot of his ranting sounds like praying or stuff from the bible - and I have been told (by the kid who across the road - he's also a bit nutty and seems to getting worse lately - copying the crazy man's behaviour ?? - that he says I'm the antichrist and evil .... Me..... ????
He was going to a local church I hear for a few years and became "religious" to a crazy extent - stopped going when the other parisoners in the congregation became scared of him and started shunning him and the priest asked him not to come back until he had become well again.

On occasion I have considered playing on that belief he has and having some fun with it... but I don't know much about that kind of stuff if it didn't scare him away , it could make matters even worse .

[Davros]

The policy of the current government are that people like this should be integrated into the community instead of institutionalized. Indeed the number of institutions has all but dried up. The Police have bugger all power and or resources to deal with them thanks to civil libitarian action. The only people with the power are the local magistrate, his mental health case worker and the local member of parliament.
Remember when all the council houses used to be in one suburb but now they are spread around. This is the same scenario. Integrate managed people back into society.
Unfortunately in your case the only way you will get any luck is by complaining directly to the local member with a detailed list of incidents and the supporting signatures of your neighbours.
Best of luck.

[Lee]

T'was just a suggestion - you obviously know how ineffective the law is in these situations though. Plenty of people have ruined large portions of their lives by letting a disruptive neighbour and the dispute itself take over. Is by no means a cowards way out.
I do agree with you - I think breaking an AVO should mean immediate imprisonment.

[AstralTraveller]

If contacting your local MP doesn't work, is there a local scandal sheet or shock jock you could contact? I hate those types with a passion but perhaps this time they could actually do something useful. Don't forget to mention the MP has also done nothing, they are much more responsive to bad publicity than the cops.

I'd also avoid violence. Apart from what you've said I wonder what he is on. Pot doesn't normally flip people out that way. I suppose it's more correct to say, pot doesn't flip out normal people that way, but I still doubt it is the main problem. Alcohol can make people agro but they usually don't have much stamina, especially at his age. I wonder whether he uses ice? From what I've heard it could cause the agro and explain him not just crashing out. If he is high on that he may also have more strength than you would image. Add to that a lack of concern about the damage he is causing and he could be a very dangerous customer.

[TrevorW]

Unfortunately for us the minority do gooder groups think that mentally disturbed people are better off in their own surroundings instead of being institutionalised however it's these same people who get up in arms and get something done if someone like your neighbour moved in next door to them.

IMO the Govt should be a little bit more proactive and protect the rights of honest law abiding tax payers instead of trying to cut costs.

Sometimes a good labotomy and padded cell is needed to protect the average joe and maintain law and order as these people can kill without reason

[xelasnave]

Ian I feel for you as I have had similar going on in Sydney with an exemployee of my Son's.

I was told once that most relationships break down because of indifference...more than through love or hate and was quoted a figure of65% ...indifference is the key and I would like to think that perhaps this is the message of the turn the other cheek approach favoured by Jesus Christ... there is merit I believe ..often these folk need someone to annoy and I found that apart from taking the appropriate steps to report each breach of the order cut off all contact and responce... this seems to have worked.

I feel that trying to think good about the person who is annoying you may help also...

If however things are intollerable do not be to proud to holiday elsewhere even if for a day or two... I know work..well get a motel close by... sometimes being away from the action helps... he needs people to play with just make sure you are not one of them.

I find if someone is a big enough idiot there are many folk who will take care of them before you get around to it...trust me on that...so dont let this upset up..

best wishes

alex

[Ian Robinson]

Thankyou for the suggestions all .... appreciated .

He hasn't come home today (yet) .... peace and quiet is bliss !!! Had an earlyish night last night and the first good night of sleep since he came home last week.

If what the psyc worker told me was true , he's due for his next med's injection (every 2 weeks) tomorrow - so crossing fngers - that he may not be home for a while (if they keep him for observation ??? as part of that).

I'll definitely be calling Jill Hall's office and asking to see her , perhaps with the other neighbour (I'll wonder down and have a chat with her and her hubby about this) , so we can present a united front and hopefully get some real action .

Crossing fingers on the legal outcome of his prank / hoax 000 call , and his breach of the other AVO.

Failing that - I shall continue to keep a very detailed blow by blow log of the behaviours I observe and his illegal and crazy behaviours and will keep on calling 000 and the police when ever he flips out - even if I become a pest. I'll suggest to the other neighbours that we apply a zero tolerance to his behaviour and they do as I will , call the cops immediately when ever they see or hear him flipping.

000 is best to use as each time you call the call is recorded and given a number.
If you call the cops directly you may not get through and if you do they may not keep much of a record or any record and for all I know he may well be hirting himself or be on the verge of attacking someone or someone's property so that makes the call to 000 justified - the cops have not told me to stop or chipped me about it either.

Will check out cheap webcams (recorded video monitoring on 24/7 basis of my property and surrounds) too. One for the front patio facing in his direction , one for the garage facing my house and monitoring the boundary and driveway. And will let the neighbours know that I am and why I am doing this. But only if I can do this cheaply ....

I have requested the cops patrol the street regularly (I know who I asked to at Charlestown copshop so if it doesn't happen I'll know who to name, and will suggest the other neighbour do similarly.

[xelasnave]

Most things just are so we can adjust our reality by calling them what we wish..good or bad opportunity or closeout... I would see this like a movie and you are the hero ..this is the down turn the hero always has before everything pays off... so live in the moment and enjoy it as if you were the star...because you are..good luck mate this time next year you will look back and laugh...rise above it

alex

[Ian Robinson]

We've not communicated with him or even acknowledged him since the incident that triggered my applying for our original AVO , that was over 2 years ago. The last application for our AVO to be extended included a full printout my Log , attached to it, the magistrate asked I initial each page which I did - so my log has become part of the court's record.

Where possible I totally ignore him and we want NOTHING at all to do with him.
I do however observe and have recently started to record his behaviour in detail and frequently complaign to the cops when he is flipping.

The cop I spoke with on Friday says he thinks judging from what's been going on he wont be around long .... but when I asked "why ?" he declined to say.

[Lee]

This dude sounds more bad than mad - needs a stint in prison, rather than a few weeks in serviced apartments, where you get hand delivered all the benzo's etc you like (aka Mental Health Unit....).

[Screwdriverone]

Hi Ian,

My sympathies, as for a solution, forget the cameras, HDD recording etc, better to go straight to the top, no, I dont mean MP's, Police or council......

Give Channel 7 a call, specifically Today Tonight.

They love this sort of thing, have all the "surveillance" technology already mentioned here and will no doubt do a special on "the neighbourhood under siege" and provide much higher levels of awareness to the local authorities than you can ever achieve.

I know this from experience when my wife engaged Today Tonight over a warranty issue with a venetian blind company who failed to rectify their faulty products and within 24hrs of the airing of the program, we had ALL of their products replaced with the correct blinds.

Media has its uses. Make sure you emphasise the fear in which you and your wife live.

And good luck.

Cheers

Chris

[xelasnave]

As I said keep your distance and report breaches of the order... you may think the police are doing nothing at times but it is not always the case... and if someone is an idiot they make enemies all over things catch up ..often folk like that irritate some little guy who takes it and reappears when they least expect it..the stories I could tell about idiots getting it..the ones who did not get it from me that is...and there is a list of them also... but the main thing is to be happy and not let it get to you and that can be hard but I like the movie approach I have got through some horrific situations with that approach...

alex

[casstony]

As much as I dislike those programs Today Tonight sounds like an excellent idea.

[Ian Robinson]

I hope so ....

[Ian Robinson]

Only as a possible last resort , short of taking the law into my own hands. Don't wont to go there, but will if I fear I have no other option in order to protect my wife, my property and myself , lucky the son no longer live at home so he is away from all this.

[AdrianF]

couple of 18gal kegs and the local bikie group would probably work wonders.

Adrian

[Ian Robinson]

I agree .... but he has the bleeding hearted shrinks convinced and they aren't interested in the effect he has on everyone else , only in his "well being" and judging from what has been
happening, they are also a waste of space and as far as I can see - incompetent..

I called them last night after I'd called the 000 the second time , and they didn't want to know and passed the buck back to cops saying it was a police matter .... wont be calling them again. Waste of a phone call and of my time. How often do you hear of some wackjob killing someone or seriously hurting someone on the news - nearly aways these skitzo types , and I've got one next door .... pretty dammed regularly ... he poses a definite risk and danger and I don't care what his friends and the case worker says , they only see him every so often and don't know what he's really like - he's dangerous and I want him gone.

Mental health mob takes no account of community impact of these types of people when they insist on letting them out.

[Ian Robinson]

Don't want to go there.

[matt]

Good luck getting Today Tonight or programs of that ilk involved or interested.

As a print/magazine/radio journo of many years I can tell you they're only interested in a story like this if there's more of an angle than just a neighbour or two being pissed off with another neighbour...as disruptive as that neighbour may be, and as much as it may have become a large part of your life.

You're much better off going down the path/s already suggested. If police, state MP and local council fail to come to your aid...then you've really got something of interest to Today/Tonight! They love to run stories pointing out the failure of cops and authorities to act in obvious cases where action is required.

First things first. :)

This is a different issue to a vendor stiffing an individual over a warranty issue. Not nearly so clear-cut or of broader benefit. That's not to say it wouldn't be a useful piece on how to deal with troublesome of potentially dangerous neighbours...

It's just that vendors letting down 'the little guy' and being taken to task has broader appeal as a tabloid piece than a nutbag making a lot of noise and generally being a pain.

Just my 2c worth...and offering the benefit of my professional experience. For every approach that's made to Today Tonight which they decide to take up...there's 99 they toss into their 'Ho Hum' file.

Feel free to make whatever approaches to whomever you see as worthwhile...but I'd go trough the usual channels first before taking a punt on the 'current affairs' shows.

All the best...and let us know how things pan out.

[Miaplacidus]

Okay, this is going to sound freaky, but if this guy is signficantly younger than you this might work. If not, at least it might sound funny, and maybe provide food for thought for any parents out there.

Not long ago I downloaded Audiobox to generate pure tone frequencies (I was experimenting with non-Newtonian fluids). I found that there was a high enough frequency that I couldn't hear at all, no matter what the volume, and yet it drove my kids nuts. I could stand right next to the amplifier totally oblivious, and the kids up the other end of the house would be yelling out for me to turn it off. Fantastic! I'd finally hit on a way to motivate them to leave once they get old enough. Anyway, you can see where this is going...

Good luck!

[Ian Robinson]

\\\


I wouldn't touch Today Tonight with a barge pole , or get involved with them.

Only after all other avenues have been exhausted , I don't think very much of their "style of journalism" and rarely watch them.

[Miaplacidus]

Also, you imply that this guy is on medication. At the risk of sounding like one of those bleeding hearts, I must say that, generally speaking, the medication often works pretty well nowadays, and when psychotic or schizophrenic patients are acting out it is usually because they are either non-compliant or are simply inadequately dosed, or perhaps on the wrong medication. (Sure, governments were happy to wash its hands of the cost and responsibility of inpatient psychiatric care, but one shouldn't lose sight of the fact that community based mental health care has been a tremendous success for a great many mentally ill people, and perhaps not all bad for society at large. Mind you, that's not to imply that your neighbour doesn't deserve to be shot, by the way.) Anyway, if possible, it would be worthwhile speaking directly to his GP or psychiatrist, who may be unaware that things aren't all rosy bliss outside the consulting room.
They ought to keep your name out of it, but make sure of this explicitly if you do talk to them. Or else give them a nom de guerre.

Failing that, maybe you could try to befriend the bugger. That'd confuse him.

[matt]

Nor I...Ian:)

But as others have said...they do occasionally have their uses.

I'm not a fan...but each to their own.;)

[Ian Robinson]

I am not a pharmacist or up very much on biochemistry (been over 20 years since I did my studied biochem as an elective), but if he is being treated for schitsophrenia and others with injections fortnightly and then goes home and uses pot , drinks nonstop , and uses other drugs (ice ? crack ? who cares) then at the very least these are counteracting what he is being medicated with , or the shrinks are incompetent and are treating wrongly.
While he remains a user , the meds are likely to never work effectively.

This seems very much to be the case based on what he is doing and how he is behaving.

Unfortunately we have no say on how he is medicated or treated and have no way of stopping him from using what ever drugs he happens to like using.

[I.C.D]

Hey Robo,

I have work in the mining industry for the pass 25 years over those years I have seen some great get back ‘s from us old mining feds to the fitters and eleco.The best was one day old mate had a beef with a fitter the old mate put super glued into the fitter’s lock’s to his tool box at the end of his shift which made it unable for him to gain access to his tool locker next day which put him in the firing of his boss becaues he could not get into his tool box .
Ian wait till you see old mate and family going out and then super glue his locks to the front and back doors and any other doors they may use to enter then and sit back and watch and wait for the show to start, after braking the keys they will trying to gain access through a window and if you are watching them climbing through the window you should call the police and alter them that you may be witnessing a break and enter

Ian C

[Solanum]

Indeed, there is another side to this story, however one sided the situation is. I had a very good friend at university who became severely schizophrenic. The drugs barely allowed him to cope and he still suffered from auditory, visual and even tactile hallucinations. People in positions such as this often take illegal drugs because they help dull all of that (my friend did not however). Assuming this man is mentally ill as you imply I can assure you he is suffering more than you are. And much of the '
helpful' advice put forward will make things worse rather than better. By the way my friend is now dead, and his family are still affected by it. It wasn't suicide, but it was due to poor care by the authorities.

The bottom line is that the fault here is not so much your neighbours as the inadequate care he is being given. The 'community' care was set up more as a cost saving measure than an ideological shift in how care is provided.

All that said I have had good friends who were in exactly the same situation as you, they were lucky in that their neighbour was placed there by the council and eventually shifted (after a couple of years though).

My advice is you need to go through the authorities involved with his care if you want anything to happen.

[KenGee]

Ian you a keen gardener, and I know you have a great spot to store a large amount of chook ****, fish meal and what not. if he is renting go see the agent when is he lease up? get everyone to chip in for a six month lease at a higher amount and get him kicked out. it doesn't help you but living in a small town this type of thing is sorted.

[Lee]

Not the shrinks who are incompetent - it is the rubbish underfunded mental health system, and the BS use of mental health diagnoses by all and sundry to further gain for themselves....
Unless he is under a community treatment order, he is under no obligation to take any meds, and nobody can force him to - at the end of the day though, even if under a CTO - he can still basically do what he pleases!

[Ian Robinson]

I like it ..:thumbsup:.. have considered that a couple of times .... it was also a get back at the BHP Steelworks.,[

[Ian Robinson]

I used to be sympathetic , but that hradually become less and less with each bad incident and incident of abuse by him against us and other neighbours, I stopped being sympathetic completely when he physically threatened my wife and my self's lifes one morning in one of his rages .... I now have zero sympathy or tolerance for him and his behaviour and don't give a toss for how he is suffering , in fact I get the impression he likes the way he is and he doesn't care what effect he has on his neighbours or the community.

He has also become considerably more violent and his flip out pretty constant since he came into money from his mum's estate (and can afford his preferred poisons when ever he want them now rather than only on pension day).



I how take a very hard line since the AVO was granted , I don't need his crap and refuse to tolerate it.

[Ian Robinson]

Never heard of a CTO .... how does one get put on one ? Is it ordered by the magistrate after consultation with a shrink ? if they breach it what happens ?

[Alchemy]

lots of suggestions there, you will have to do something that will ultimately result in his removal. given your dislike of using physical force (not something anyone wants to do unless absolutely necesary) and the glue in the locks idea is tempting ... but if found out you have shot yourself by provoking him.

whatever you do has to be legal , self defense is ok, but if you want to win it has to be within the confines of the law.

then you just have to accumulate enough evidence until the legal system intervenes, i still think the camera is the way to go. if he flips out once a week it will only take a couple of months before you have quite a bit of footage. this unpleasant situation has been going on for some considerable time, so you have to do something different to whats already occurred..... good luck.

[Solanum]

Entirely understandable, nothing is more important than the safety of ones family. My comments were perhaps aimed more at some other respondents on the thread than yourself.

The bottom line though, is still that he is getting inadequate care, particularly if he is truly is capable of violence. I'm originally from the UK, and there the compulsory treatment of someone in an institution is called 'sectioning' after the section of the law that sanctions it, and the police are able to have someone assessed (not by themselves obviously) for this. I'm not sure what the equivalent is over here (luckily I haven't had to find out!), but I think it is this sort of avenue that you should explore and whether the police can actually have a role. Maybe find out if the local council have the power to be involved?

As I'm sure you realise, doing anything like gluing their locks is only more likely to make them violent, likely to reduce the sympathy of the police for you and likely to reduce any legal arguements you have.

My friends that were in the same situation as you also had an AVO (in fact the entire street had an AVO against her), but it is a purely legal matter and the person involved is probably incapable of obeying it so I don't think it is ever going to have the effect that one would hope. In the end the council shifted the person harrassing my friends (but the council had placed them there so were able to).

[xelasnave]

I have not been in the legal game for a while but I do recall that an assualt is the act of threatning violence..the violence is "the battery".

So if you feel threated this may constitue an assualt and entitle you to comence a civil action..there are other lawyers here who may recall the "test" case but the fact were loosely...a person at a table at a meeting moved toward the chairman in a threatning manner..there were no blows but it was held that blows were npot necessary for an assualt.

Anyways the realities of taking the law into your own hands..via a civil action means that your opponent is presented with the prospect of high leagal fees (as indeed is the person starting the action) Dont be fooled that you get costs in the event of a sucess as those costs are "party party" costs and may almost certainly be well below the fees your lawyer will charge.

I mention this because of a matter referred to me where the amount in contention was $30,000 but the clients legal costs were some $500,000..unbelieveable that this difference was not pointed out to the parties as the party party cost would not have equalled the amount in contention.

However I say folk like this make enemies all over and their stupidity seems to catch up with them.
Certainly do not comtemplate reprisals...
alex

[Ian Robinson]

From my reading of what can be done - "sectioning" doesn't seem an option, I have suggested it to the poilice (they can't or aren't prepared to), I mentioned it to the case worker shrink (?) and clearly told her that he is dangerous and unpredictable (and got a blank look from her and no response) . :shrug:
I'll mention it to the MP when I meet with her (will need to make an appointment and will talk with the other neighbour beforehand - perhaps we can see her together - two immediate neighbours complaigning have got to have more weight than one. Maybe the MP can get things rolling on getting him permanently "sectioned" or pushing cops to charge and prosecute him. or both (my preferred option .... yes .... I want his blood (so to speak)) and him to get more than just a slap on the wrist - I'm sure I made death threats and harassed and stalked my neighbours - I'd find my self hauled up in front of the court so quick my head would spin and I'd land in prison for it and rightly so.)

Gluing locks .... I agree .... tempting but not a constructive thing to do and likely to loose any police support we have. This is why I haven't done it when I thought of it before it was mentioned here.

I'll stick for now with using the system and staying inside the law. If that eventually fails then I'll take my gloves off , declare war , and he had better watch out.

[Ian Robinson]

Food for thought .... civil action .... I'm surprised the cops didn't charge him with assault when I called them the morning he made death threats (the whole neighbourhood heard him (at about 5am woke everyone up with is screaming and ranting and banging on my door and windows).

That was just over two years ago .... if I had known that was assault (and the cops didn't tell me it was) I would have demanded they press charges and took no excused for not doing so. Is it too late now ?

I'd be looking at bankrupting him (if he's inherited a couple hundred k , and his home is worth 300k say , then I'd be looking at at least that amount.

Something to thnk about - the fee's thing is a huge deterrent to me for the civil thing so I am not likely to be able to use that avenue.

[xelasnave]

His actions sound like he is a free baser (smoking refined coke) or a speed freak ... if so the cops will get him one would think.

Anyways Ian I really feel for you and wish there was something I could do to make it all right for you.
alex

[Ian Robinson]

He's pretty much continuously flipping out (every day that he is home).

[xelasnave]

It will be difficult but you must not let him get to you... he has problems no doubt.. I found the chap I had to deal with in Sydney lashed out because he was angry with his own inabilities to manage life...
I would talk to a lawyer on the basis that the first conference is free..not unusual for firms to do this...cover the prospect of what actions you may bring and make sure they cover the cost situation... if they lose no fees..if they win no fees...
If you burn sulpher and zinc dust the residue gives off rotten egg gas as the water vapour in the air reacts with it... A paper bag full of it and tossed under a house has plumbers being called to dig up the fawlty sewer pipes...or so I believe.

alex

[Satchmo]

Your neighbor, with an opportunistic lawyer or advocacy group could have a field day with all the public and unsubstantiated hearsay and slander I've seen spouted in this thread even at a quick glance. This is not what public forums should be used for.

I personally sympathise with the situation, but this thread is just asking for trouble and some of the content is clearly breaking all the rules: it should have been locked and deleted by the moderators long ago.

[Ian Robinson]

Crossing fingers at this stage....

[Ian Robinson]

Ummm , I have not mentioned his name or his address here . And he is not likely to see this thread .

What slander by the way ? ....

everything I have said has been reported to the cops , to centrelink (I have reported his cheating of the system) , and to the local magistrate - has a copy of my log. Was used in evidence to extend my AVO just last week and gave him the cause to look more deeply into the situation than he would have otherwise. No one here knows his name or address , or the names of the cops I have have cause to deal with , or of the shrink I met and spoke to about him, and people are entitled to offer advise and oppinion based on their experiences.

This is a good place , so long as I refrain from mentioning his name or address to discuss this. I am sure if the moderator thinks it's not he'll say so and will close the thread.

I'm sure one of the resident working or retired legal types would have pulled me up pretty quick if I was endulging in slander or would have suggested the thread be closed.

[Satchmo]

You've provided enough detail there for anyone to identify them if they so wished. Anyone can look you up in the phonebook and work out your neighbors address if they wanted to. I think the 'lynch mob' vibe is unbecoming of grown adults. Even mentally ill people have the right to `innocent until proven guilty'.

I don't agree that whether the thread gets moderated or not sets the real moral or legal benchmark. I certainly find this thread , and many of the posts by IISers, even at a quick glance , quite offensive in nature .

[rider]

Ian, If there is a chance that you may end up using the courts, be very careful what you write here, as most smart defence lawyers now search the net for facebook entrys and the like, and it looks like you use your own name. If you mention any agressive act they will use it for their defence.

------------

I too had a similar character next door, fortunately renting. in the end he was visited by some gentlemen that wanted payment for chemical substances. The resulting row meant that the police turned up (4 hours later) and he thought it was the dealers, so he came to the door carrying a rather large knife and threatening to kill them...problem solved.

Now I've got some very nice people next door, who suffer from severe Achluophobia (afraid of the dark), and leave EVERY light outside and in on for 24 hours a day. they even installed new ones.

hello peace, goodbye deep sky viewing.

regards rider

[Ian Robinson]

I have a silent phone number so I can not be found in the phone book.

We are focusing on legal means of dealing with this idiot, so how is that acting like a linching mob ?

Of cause if the moderator agrees with you, he is entitled to close this down.

[iceman]

I haven't waded into this thread until now but having had a read through now, I agree with Mark that this isn't the place for these type of discussions.

While i'm sure many (including myself) sympathise with your situation, Ian, a public astronomy forum isn't the place for these sort of discussions.

I'm going to lock this thread and wish you all the best with sorting the matter out.