A married couple became embroiled in a 'childlike' tit-for-tat neighbours' war with a convicted killer and his wife who lived next door, a court heard.
Mum-of-three Vanessa Keeton hurled a carton of orange juice at the home of Paul Sharpe and called him a 'f*****g murderer' after he branded her convicted kidnapper husband Michael a 'paedo' at a BBQ. During a string of shouting matches between the Stockport neighbours, Michael also claimed Sharpe's wife 'put cigarettes out on babies' while Vanessa, 32, accused the pair of hurling food over their fence into their garden.
Police who investigated the bizarre feud discovered Michael, 35, had previously been convicted of child abduction. He was given a three-year community order after snatching a toddler from a house, the court was told.
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Details of Sharpe's murder conviction were not disclosed at the hearing at Stockport Magistrates' Court. The court heard the Keetons used to get along with Sharpe's wife before he moved into the property.
Nick Smart, prosecuting, said: "In the early hours of May 25 this year, the complainant was at her home address when she left the property briefly. When she came back to the property a short while after she noticed that liquids had been thrown at the premises, notably the house walls and windows.
"The next incident came on August 28 when both parties were out in the front gardens of their respective houses having a summer BBQ. Both parties only live a couple of doors down from one another and an argument started between them, which was the result of their prior resentment.
"This argument quickly descended into a shouting match where both parties threw insults at each other and culminated with Vanessa calling Paul a 'f****ng murderer'. Michael then shouted that Paul's wife puts cigarettes out on babies."
Mr Smart added: "The Keetons were later arrested and questioned at Stockport police station. Later that evening, both parties were inside their properties.
"The complainant stepped out of the front door to have a look around as she thought she had seen something being thrown and heard noises coming from the street.
"When she looked out she saw the defendants throwing items at their address from across the road. Every time the complainant told them to stop doing this they were laughed at and ignored."
In mitigation defence, Simon Morton, said: "The Keetons say they have only done to the Sharpes what the Sharpes have done to them. They have made complaints to the police who have not followed them up with investigations whilst the complainants have had their reports actioned.
"The couple got on well with Paul's wife until he moved in to live with her. The relationship fell apart at the beginning of this year and the two parties began to argue.
"They claimed that the complainants threw food over their garden fence and that they just threw the cordial as a response. It is just childlike behaviour.”
Mr Morton added: "As regards the August 28 incident, the complainant called Michael a 'paedo', referring to a previous conviction relating to a child kidnap. They only responded with their own insults.
"Although the insults were unpleasant, they were fair comment. Paul had spent an extended sentence in prison for murder.
"They Keetons have now moved almost 50 miles away to Burnley in Lancashire and are out of harms way, so I don’t believe a restraining order will serve purpose in this case."
The Keetons were joined in court by Michael’s identical brother and two other family members. Michael himself was told to keep quiet after frequently disrupting the court during proceedings.
At court the pair, of Burnley, both admitted threatening behaviour. Vanessa also pleaded guilty to criminal damage.
Both were conditionally discharged for 12 months. Sentencing, chairman of the bench Martin Drake said: "We have given much thought to this and have decided that a conditional discharge is the best course of action.
"There is no point pouring oil on troubled waters. We want you to draw a line under this event and move on."
No restraining order was imposed between the parties. Vanessa was made to pay costs of £107 while Michael was told to pay £111.
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