A neighbour from hell who subjected nearby families to daily threats and abuse has been jailed for a year.

Alcoholic Carol-Ann Cousins, of St Benedict Road, Snodland, has also been banned from walking past her victim’s home after repeated drunken outbursts last year.

Earlier this week Maidstone Crown Court heard how the 57-year-old was given a court order to stay away from a neighbour, who lives in the same road a few doors down, after pestering them constantly.

However, the court heard how she breached the order eight times - including five times in less than a week - in March and then August last year.

Speaking about the horrific ordeal one neighbour, who wants to remain anonymous, said: “It was awful, I was getting death threats daily.

“She was knocking on our doors all the time, shouting and screaming, trying to get in.

“She was always drunk, it was absolutely horrible.

"She was horrible and was an absolute nightmare..."

“My kids didn’t want to play on the green with their friends because she’d watch them all.

"It’s lovely now - so peaceful - and my children can finally go back out and play, we can walk out the door without her watching out the window and coming out to us every single time.”

The neighbour explained she wasn’t the only victim of Cousins’ abuse, claiming the drunk neighbour would try people directly next door or over the road.

She added: “She tried everyone and would get violent when they wouldn’t let her in or listen to her.”

Another neighbour, who didn’t want to be named, said: “She was horrible and was an absolute nightmare.”

Cousins’ barrister Alan Budworth told the presiding judge he needed “the wisdom of Solomon” in dealing with the case.

But Recorder Andrew Walker QC said the breaches of previous orders were too serious and jailed her for a year.

The judge said: “In my judgement your victim has exhibited extraordinary patience and fortitude. Your behaviour affected her in her own home and what she allowed her children to do outside.

“They were thinking about moving.

“She should not have to put up with behaviour of that nature, nor should she and her children feel under threat or pressure in the way they were.”

Between March 6 and 11 last year, Cousins knocked on her neighbour’s door inviting her for a drink and offering a cigarette before returning later shouting: “Open the door, the police are here!”

The prosecutor added that a day later she arrived offering money for sweets for the children - then was seen smoking, telling her neighbour: “I am going to get sent down because of you.”

But Mr McBarnet said that in August Cousins made a “slit throat gesture” towards the victim calling her “ a bad mother and a psycho”.

Then on August 21 Cousins went to her neighbour’s home “apparently not wearing any trousers” claiming she wanted to congratulate her on having a new baby.