A 76-year-old man has admitted to killing his neighbour's fish using motor oil and detergent, driven to the act by the constant noise of a water pump. The incident occurred in Barnet, north London.
Plea and background
Gerry Duffy, of Hadley Road, appeared at Willesden Magistrates' Court on Tuesday, where he pleaded guilty on the day of his trial to damaging a pond, fish, water pump, and pipes. The damage took place in March.
Duffy had previously warned his neighbour, Andreas Ptohides, that he would take matters into his own hands if the noise from the fishpond was not addressed. The court heard that the pump's sound had caused Duffy 'lack of sleep' and had 'driven him completely insane'.
Prosecution details
Prosecutor Shahid Iftakhar described the incident as a 'neighbour dispute' that resulted in the deaths of 'five or six' Koi carp and caused approximately £565 in damage. CCTV footage showed Duffy climbing into the neighbour's garden and damaging the water pipes and pumps.
In mitigation, Elliott Stern said his client had tried to resolve the dispute peacefully. Stern explained that Duffy had spoken to the neighbour several times, and although they initially agreed to stop the pump, they later changed their minds, saying it was not good for the fish. An environmental officer had advised Duffy to either move or close his window.
Outcome
Out of 'sheer frustration and lack of sleep', Duffy lost his temper and committed the damage. He pleaded guilty to three counts of damaging property and one count of unlawfully destroying fish. The court handed him a two-year conditional discharge and ordered him to pay £565 in compensation to Mr Ptohides.
