Drunkard terrorised amputee neighbour branding him 'paedo'

A man with nine drunk and disorderly convictions since 1979 waged terror against an amputee neighbour - branding him ‘paedo’ and threatening him with a ‘lump hammer’.
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Tom Sharpe, aged 62, would march ‘up and down’ the South Normanton street he and his victim lived on, shouting ‘rapist’, ‘sexist’, ‘paedo’ and ‘grass’, after the 56-year-old reported his behaviour to police.

Becky Allsop, prosecuting at Chesterfield Magistrates’ Court, said how on one occasion Sharpe turned up at his scared neighbour’s home with a lump hammer.

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She said Sharpe was waving it around, shouting he wanted to ‘cave’ the skull in on his victim, who the court heard had never been before the courts accused of sexual offences.

Tom Sharpe, 62, would march “up and down” Highfield Drive, Alfreton, shouting “rapist”, “sexist”, “paedo” and “grass”Tom Sharpe, 62, would march “up and down” Highfield Drive, Alfreton, shouting “rapist”, “sexist”, “paedo” and “grass”
Tom Sharpe, 62, would march “up and down” Highfield Drive, Alfreton, shouting “rapist”, “sexist”, “paedo” and “grass”

Ms Allsop said: “The victim lives in a bungalow directly in front of Mr Sharpe’s address. He is an amputee who gets about in a wheelchair and has issues with his memory.”

She said Sharpe’s anti-social behaviour escalated after his victim complained to the police about him.

Ms Allsop said: “He spoke to police and described being terrified of Sharpe, because he could not run away.

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She said: “He says police went to see Sharpe and as soon as they left he was at his gate again, shouting.”

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Encounter

During one scary encounter, Sharpe appeared at the disabled man’s property with an iron bar, saying: “I’m going to come at night and smash your skull in.”

He also threw soil at the victim’s living room window.

A neighbour who witnessed many of the outbursts against the victim said Sharpe appeared to be ‘regularly in drink’ and said: “I was alarmed as I thought ‘that could be me’.”

Sharpe, of Highfield Drive, admitted harassment.

John Last, mitigating, said Sharpe’s first conviction for being drunk and disorderly went back to 1979.

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He said: “Since then he had eight further convictions for drunk and disorderly - you can see how long alcohol has played a part in his life.”

Sharpe was handed a 12-month community order with 15 rehabilitation activity days and a two-year restraining order. He was also ordered to pay £300 court costs, £200 compensation, a £34 victim surcharge and fined £60.