‘Neighbour from hell’ given suspended sentence over CCTV harassment

A Dublin man who harassed three of his neighbours and filmed one of them masturbating on his back decking has received a four-month suspended sentence.

Blanchardstown District Court heard that Thomas Kelly (65) installed 16 CCTV cameras at the back of his home at Weir View, Lucan which looked down on his neighbours' homes and fed images into a large TV in his sitting room.

Kelly told the court that after he filmed Paul Lynam masturbating he reported the incident to Tusla, the Child and Family Agency, and also wrote a letter to then minister for justice Frances Fitzgerald.

He was found guilty of two counts of harassing Mr Lynam at Weir View, Lucan, on dates between July 1st and July 15th, 2016. He was also found guilty of harassing John Mooney and William Stapleton at Weir View on dates between February 1st and February 12th, 2016.

Mr Lynam told the court that he had a funny feeling that he was being watched.

Mr Mooney said living in the area “is a nightmare at the moment”.

“I can’t allow my young daughter to open the blinds at the back of the house in case we are being filmed.”

Mr Stapleton said he was shocked that he and his family were being watched.

Kelly’s solicitor Valerie Buckley said her client was a pensioner who had never come to the attention of gardaí before or since. She said the charges arose from a land dispute that was currently before the civil courts.

Her client was “perhaps a little bit too focussed in relation to the security aspect” of the dispute, she said.

The Director of Public Prosecutions asked Judge David McHugh to direct that all the cameras be removed from behind Kelly's house.

Sentencing Kelly to four months in jail, suspended for two years, Judge McHugh said: “I consider this gentleman to be what is commonly known as the neighbour from hell.”

He also ordered Kelly to stay away from the three neighbours.