A nightmare neighbour who wore a "smug" look after destroying a Hillsborough survivor's memorial has been spared jail.
Alex Davis walked free from court after vandalising the memorial, which was placed in a communal area flats alongside a Liverpool flag.
Liverpool Magistrates' Court today heard the 60-year-old undertook a campaign of harassment which even saw him wave a knife at one of his neighbours.
Victim Karl Nelson told police that when the men attended Liverpool's Africa Oye festival in Sefton Park along with a number of other residents, Davis made "lewd" comments about women.
He later texted Mr Nelson saying: "I'm about to stick it in a foreign lady" prompting the concerned neighbour to reply: "You're alienating the only person who will have anything to do with you".
Andrew Page, prosecuting, read from Mr Nelson's statement how he had perceived Davis to be "very noisy" when he first moved in but didn't complain as he "wanted to have no issues".
Mr Page explained that the neighbours exchanged mobile numbers after arranging to attend Africa Oye in June 2019, but after Mr Nelson found Davis' behaviour to be "strange" he "decided to distance himself from him" and said "I felt uncomfortable in his presence".
As Mr Nelson returned to his flat one evening Davis came out shouting "someone's banging making all that noise" which the Hillsborough survivor ignored.
He then found Davis had shoved a handwritten note in his pigeon hole the next day claiming he had been "aggressive" towards him and saying he'd called the police which Mr Nelson later found out wasn't true.
The 60-year-old later apologised for the message but continued acting in a strange manner as he followed his neighbour "like he was a school teacher" with his hands behind his back.
Davis also left another note for Mr Nelson which read "Thanks for that, I'm being evicted now" after he received an eviction notice in March.
Mr Nelson, who had attended a Liverpool game in 2019 and returned with a piece of a mosaic used as part of a Hillsborough tribute, placed it next to his Liverpool flag in a communal area of the flats.
On the morning of June 4 Mr Nelson found the piece of mosaic ripped up and stuffed in his pigeon hole, Mr Page today explained.
Mr Page, reading the victim's statement, said: "I walked out of my room and he looked at me with a big smug look on his face."
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Davis even waved a kitchen knife in the face of another neighbour, Steven Sullivan, as he was leaving trying to leave to go to the pub.
As Mr Sulivan left his home and recorded on his phone as he left, which Mr Page explained he felt it necessary to do when passing Davis' door.
Reading Mr Sullivan's statement Mr Page said: "I pressed record as I could hear footsteps. He glared at me saying 'Here we go' and lunged towards me close to my face.
"I could see he was holding a large kitchen knife in his left hand. I believe if I wasn't recording he would have hurt me."
At a previous court hearing Rhys Hughes explained the incident caused "shock" and "fear to life" for Mr Sullivan, who was left "feeling genuinely scared and really shook up".
When CCTV was later installed in a communal area of the flats, Davis even set about dismantling it with a carving knife.
In another petty act Davis padlocked shut the communal laundry room in the flats in Grassendale, Garston.
During a police interview Davis said he was "ashamed" of his actions and said he was "obviously harassing" Mr Nelson because he wanted to "shame" him.
He also told officers in interview that he was taking anti depressants but not the dosage he had been prescribed.
Davis, who has one previous conviction for failure to provide a specimen in April 2015, admitted harassment, criminal damage and threatening behaviour.
Christopher Jesse, defending, told District Judge Wendy Lloyd there was no objection to the restraining order as Davis now lives in a touring caravan and has previously been in Abersoch.
Mr Jesse said: "Mr Davis clearly had mental health issues, he was taking medications and drinking to excess.
"He accepts his general conduct was totally unacceptable."
District Judge Lloyd, sentencing, said: "You behaviour during this whole course of conduct was outrageous.
"The reality is you'd been drinking far too much and had been depressed.
"I accept there has been great tragedy in your life but that doesn't give you an excuse for bringing unpleasantness into other people's lives.
"I accept previously you've been a teacher of worth, teaching autistic children. What has happened in your life has been something you simply can't get over."
District Judge Lloyd also noted that between neighbours "there's no refuge".
The judge said: "If you go home that's your place of safety, but they had no such feelings of safety at the property."
District Judge Lloyd also said the knife was used in a "frightening" and "provocative" manner and was the offence that caused her the most concern.
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Davis received a 12-week sentence suspended for 12 months and was ordered to complete 20 Rehabilitation Activity Requirements and a six-month alcohol treatment programme.
District Judge Lloyd also ordered Davis to pay each of his victims £200 in compensation and £384 compensation after breaking the lights.
A five-year restraining order preventing Davis from contacting Mr Sullivan or Mr Nelson, or from approaching the flats.
