A man says his house has become a 'slum' after cruel rumours about him being a 'child snatcher' spread around his estate and destroyed his life.
Rodney Hague lost his job in 1995 after vicious lies began to circulate about his private life.
The 69-year-old says a 'family of criminals' who used to live nearby started the rumour and he claims to have been the victim of callous attacks and abuse during the past 24 years.
He claims the smears have left him afraid to leave his home and he has not been able to secure another job.
And he says his house has turned into a slum but he doesn't have the money to carry out necessary repairs, Hull Live reports.
Mr Hague, who has no children and is not in contact with any relatives, said: “I used to sit here watching people and watching this family who committed crime in the area.
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“They tried to spread rumours about me and said I was going home and taking children. I was made redundant in 1995 and I had people start egging my windows.
“I’ve been targeted ever since these rumours started and I had people that didn’t even know me start shouting things and throwing things at the window.
“It was horrible to hear. They’ve spat on my windows and I’ve had to have cameras installed but that hasn’t stopped them either.”
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According to Mr Hague, who claims he has been attacked several times, the family have now moved away from the area and he has not been targeted yet in 2019.
But the front wall of his garden has been smashed to pieces and a wooden board has been put up in his window following multiple attacks, he says.
There is also a sign in his front window warning others that CCTV is in operation.
Mr Hague says he has been too afraid to leave his home and he has not been able to secure another job since his redundancy in 1995 because of the alleged attacks.
He has used his savings over the decades but now his house has been left in a state of complete disrepair with huge gaping holes in his ceilings.
Mr Hague’s house has no hot water or electricity, mould is forming on the walls and he says he is surviving on tin food as he is unable to store food in his fridge or freezer.
“I haven’t been out socially since 1998,” Mr Hague said.
“I’ve got no money to carry out any of the repairs as I relied on my savings and I haven’t been able to get another job because I daren’t leave the house.
“I live in a slum and my house is just wet and cold. I’ve got no hot water, if I want a wash I have to boil up water in the pan, and I do my washing in cold water.
“I’ve got no lights and I have to use candles at night. I’m on tins of food and my freezer is empty.
“I have nothing. I used to have a little DVD player but I can’t even use that now anymore. If I had money I would have moved and found somewhere else to live.
“I could start relaxing because at the moment I’m miserable as hell. I’m freezing in winter and nobody understands what I’m going through.”
