AN ELDERLY woman from Weymouth was left feeling scared to leave her home following a torrent of vile verbal abuse from her neighbour, a court heard

Alice Marie Stewart, aged 28, swore at her neighbour and called her 'disgusting names', leaving the victim scared to open her curtains and leave her house.

Stewart, of Pottery Lane, Weymouth, pleaded guilty to using threatening, abusive or insulting words to cause harassment or distress to her neighbour on September 18 and 23 last year.

Prosecuting, Richard Oakley, said: "This relates to two incidents last year involving a neighbour of hers.

"She is described as being an elderly person, we don't know her age."

Mr Oakley said that since March 2020, the victim had been in isolation due to medical conditions which made her vulnerable to Covid.

In a statement read out to the court, the victim said that at about 2pm on September 18 she was on her mobility scooter passing another neighbour who she stopped to say hello to when she saw Stewart who then started to shout obscenities and insults at her.

A statement from the neighbour who was with the victim at the time was also read out to court.

She confirmed that she heard Stewart make the comments and asked who she was talking to. Stewart replied that she was speaking to the victim.

Mr Oakley said: "She asked the defendant why she was calling [the victim] disgusting names."

Stewart was said to have replied saying because the victim 'was the biggest gossip on the street'.

The neighbour said she asked Stewart several times to 'calm down' and said the victim was 'visibly shaken and upset'.

The second incident took place on September 23 last year when the victim was in the garden with her son and Stewart shouted abuse at her again.

Stewart was said to have yelled: "I will f***ing kill you."

In a statement the victim said: "As time goes on I no longer feel my life is in danger but she is unpredictable day to day.

"I'm worried about what she will say or do next."

The victim said she was in remission from cancer and said that Stewart was making her feel depressed and anxious.

She said: "I just want Alice to leave me alone."

She added that she felt scared to leave her house and kept her curtains and blinds closed.

Mr Oakley said that in interview Stewart said the victim was 'a gossip' and that the abuse yelled at the victim on September 23 was not directed at the victim but at someone else and denied shouting at her.

Mitigating, Simon Lacey, said: "There have been long-term issues with the neighbour.

"Unfortunately, she has issues with drinking.

"The alcohol had taken over.

"If she was sober she would not have said those things. She knows it's no excuse at all."

Chairman of the bench, Stephen Corben, said: "We have listened carefully to Mr Oakley and have heard the stress and harm you have caused to [the victim]."

He sentenced Stewart to a 12-month community order. Stewart must complete an alcohol treatment programme for a period of six months, including 10 Rehabilitation Activity Requirement days. She must also pay a £120 fine, as well as £45 in prosecution costs and a £95 victim surcharge.