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Katina Loki |
War of the jasmine
Police wrestle barefoot woman, 53, to ground in hedge dispute
AN extraordinary ‘Neighbours from Hell’ battle was played out in court on Monday when an unemployed actress from Kentish Town was accused of attacking the man next door with a broomstick.
It began with a row over the height of the man’s fence and culminated in the woman’s home being stormed before she was wrestled to the ground by police officers and marched barefoot to a police van.
The characters in this all too familiar drama were Katina Loki, 53, and her neighbours Jim and Teresa Grover from Charlton Kings Road.
The scene of the dispute was the Grover’s fence, which Ms Loki claimed breached planning conditions being over two metres high.
But it was only after Ms Loki allegedly tried to knock Mr Grover off his stepladder with a broomstick that things started to get serious and the police were called.
Six and a half stone Ms Loki, just 4ft 11 tall, had to be held down by four officers while she was being handcuffed and forced to spend the night in a cell.
She told Highbury magistrates that the bamboo canes on the partition wall made her feel “like a caged animal”, and made it easier for intruders to get into her garden.
She added: “I begged and pleaded with them. They were distressing me. It was affecting my health and safety and making me anxious.”
But she was convicted of harassing her neighbours in May last year.
She denied the offence but admitted swearing at her neighbours.
Imposing a two years suspended sentence and a two-year restraining order, District Judge Dorothy Quick told Ms Loki: “This was a period of extreme stress and you became quite obsessed over this matter quite irrationally.”
What started out as a shaky relationship 10 years ago when the Grovers complained of Ms Loki’s son’s loud music, soon blossomed into a beautiful friendship as they shared glasses of wine over the garden fence and performed plays together, Raj Chada, defending, told the court.
But two years ago the relationship began to deteriorate when the Grovers cut down Ms Loki’s overhanging roses.
Weeks later, Ms Loki cut down the Grovers’ overhanging jasmine.
Over the ensuing months the bickering began. The Grovers took down their trellis and began erecting a fence.
Mr Grover claimed the couple suffered from Ms Loki’s outbursts between 2005 and 2006, eventually turning to his video camera to provide proof.
He said: “All I wanted was the peace and quiet of my garden but we’ve been abused and harassed for no reason.”
Police were called eight times as the Grovers complained of Ms Loki’s swearing.
The final straw was in May last year when, the Grovers claim, Ms Loki tried to knock Mr Grover off his stepladder with her broomstick. Ms Loki denied this, claiming she was too short to reach her neighbour.
She was arrested when police were called to settle the dispute.
Ms Loki shut herself into her home as she phoned local councillor Phil Thompson for advice.
She eventually opened the door on the chain, before turning away to look for her shoes, but officers decided to kick her door in.
Ms Loki, who has lived in the same home for 50 years, said: “I had three people charging at me. They came at me in my own house, my clothes were coming down, they forced me to the ground.” Police bail conditions banned her from her home for two months.
Mr Chada, defending, blamed the dispute on conflicting advice from Camden Council’s planning officers.
He said: “Contradictory advice was being given by the council to the different parties.”
Speaking after the verdict, Ms Loki said: “I’ve got a criminal record for swearing at my neighbours. I was locked in a cell overnight. It’s absolutely disgraceful for a woman of my age to be treated like that. The way was I was handled was appalling and way over the top.” |
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