Mansfield woman smashed neighbours’ windows after months of taunting

Jane Richardson shattered the window in one neighbour's back door before returning to smash their kitchen window at 10.30pm on January 1, said Lottie Tyler, prosecuting.

When police attended another neighbour said she also had one of her windows smashed.

Richardson, aged 53, told police, "there had been ongoing issues with her neighbours" and they had been taunting her for months.

The court heard she has 45 previous convictions for 81 offences, including eight for damage, and received a four-month sentence, suspended for 12 months, in 2023.

Nichola Thorpe, mitigating, told magistrates it was "very unfortunate she finds herself before you this afternoon”.

"On this occasion she reached the end of her tether. She knows she shouldn't have acted in this way. She is extremely sorry."

She said Richardson has put in a request to move property and there have been no issues with any of her neighbours since.

"She has reached the point where she wants to lead a quiet life," said Ms Thorpe. "She has a long history of mental health problems. She was the victim of an arson attack at her previous address."

Richardson, of Stacey Road, admitted criminal damage when she appeared at Mansfield Magistrates Court on Tuesday.

“Whatever anyone else has done, you are here today in court,” the presiding magistrate told her. “If you react in this way again you know what will happen.”

She received a 12-month conditional discharge, with £85 costs and a £26 surcharge.