Teacher 'played Dambusters' at German neighbour
Comments |
by Dan Bloom
A German man and his wife went through
"hell" when a neighbour spent four years blaring out the themes to
Dambusters, Dad's Army and Rule Britannia, a court heard.
The couple claim maths teacher
Geoffrey Butler, 54, racially harassed them by playing wartime Vera
Lynn classics, doing a Nazi salute and broadcasting one of
Churchill's speeches towards their home in Lower Upnor.
Butler strongly denies waging a
four-year hate campaign by whistling and playing the patriotic
music, staring at his neighbours and making needless complaints
about them.
Reinhard and Kathryn Wendt moved to
tranquil cul-de-sac Margetts Place in 2007, but they fell out with
Butler over a small triangle of land just six feet long.
The row escalated and Butler, whose
family members served in the RAF including one in the 617
"Dambusters" squadron, was arrested last May and charged with
racially-aggravated harassment.
The teacher of 28 years told officers: "I
haven't been doing this. It may happen on the odd occasion,
whatever. Was it illegal? It wasn't. I don't see anything wrong
with Dame Vera Lynn. I come from an RAF family."
Yet Mr Wendt told Medway magistrates he was having nightmares in
an emotionally-charged hearing.
He said: "It was like waterboarding, after a while a little
whistle was enough. It let me know he was there and watching
me."
The songs included Vera Lynn's White Cliffs of Dover, wartime
hit Maybe it's Because I'm a Londoner and the Colonel Bogey March
from Bridge On the River Kwai.
Social worker Mrs Wendt, who broke down in tears giving
evidence, said: "It made me feel nervous and intimidated and I
didn't want to go out into my back garden any more.
"I just want to live a peaceful life. I haven't looked for this
trouble, I haven't asked for this trouble and I don't want to be
here."
Mr Wendt, who moved to Britain from Germany in 1999, accused
Butler of whistling the war tunes and playing them from his car
stereo regularly since 2007.
He also claimed Butler would pretend to be on his phone next to
the garden fence and talk loudly about Nazis.
Butler told officers: "I don't recall it and it certainly
wouldn't be directed at him."
The homes of Reinhard
and Kathryn Wendt (left) and Geoffrey Butler (right)
A two-day trial heard from the Wendts, neighbours and police and
was shown recordings, photographic evidence and a diary the Wendts
kept.
Butler complained to police about the Wendts several times, but
said his calls were justified, including one after they posted a
neighbourhood watch leaflet through his door.
The court heard he would stand on his garage roof and his ladder
to stare at the Wendts, but Butler said he was sunbathing as his
garden was too shady.
Butler denied racially aggravated harassment, adding he had been
out of work since his arrest.
He told the court: "I had a job offer for this term at Strood
Academy, but as soon as this case was mentioned it was
withdrawn.
"As a teacher I am subject to enhanced checks which mean
unproven allegations can still be mentioned."
The case did not finish on schedule and was adjourned for two
months. Butler will take the witness stand on March 19, when he is
expected to deliver a catalogue of accusations against the
Wendts.
If found guilty he could face up to two years' jail.
Friday, January 13 2012
The KM Group does not moderate comments.
Please click here for our house rules.