Enniskillen Court House
A MOTHER-of-four has spoken of how her young family were left petrified by their 46-year-old neighbour who would ‘hammer’ their front door in a series of late-night intrusions.
Gordon William Deery, of Queen Street, Enniskillen who denied harassing the family over a 18 month period, was jailed for five months after he was convicted of harassment, disorderly behaviour, simple drunk and assaulting a police officer.
His former neighbour, Tracey Barron, told a court that she was left shaking in fear after he went to their home in the middle of the night, despite moving away from the area a year previously.
Deery, who has an extensive criminal record stretching to some 280 offences and is already serving a jail sentence for a separate matter, was issued a restraining order preventing him from contacting any of Mrs Barron’s family members.
She told Fermanagh court that on June 28, 2012, she was at home on the Killyreagh Road, Tamlaght with her husband and four young children, including her 10-day-old baby.
Mrs Barron explained that she did not know the defendant but had seen him in the area because he was a neighbour and also stated she heard of a number of incidents involving Deery.
She described how her family were watching TV in a front room when a 8pm Deery arrived at their house and started banging on the front door.
“My husband answered the door and told him to go away and the next thing he went to the window and was looking through the blinds to where we were sitting.
“He didn’t really say anything, he just stood at the door and laughed and appeared to be drunk.
“It’s the first time a baby was in the house and we were scared and the children were scared so we called the police.”
It was one of alleged several incidents and Deery was subsequently was issued with a police (PIN) notice.
One the second occasion, Mrs Barron and her children were at the house alone when Deery began banging on their garden fence and the front door. She explained to the court that he shouted: “Gordy is a ‘quare’ boy”.
“I rang the police because I was scared and the kids were terrified of him.”
The family were relieved to see Deery move out of the area at the end of 2012 and they believed it was the last they would see of him.
However, at approximately 1.30am on October 10, the family were awoken by someone banging on the front door.
“We thought something was wrong so my husband ran down the stairs and he (Deery) was standing on the door step laughing hysterically.
“He then started walking up and down the footpath and shouting “nobody loves Gordy” and “up the Prods”.
“I was absolutely petrified and shaking as I didn’t know why he was back or what he was going to do.”
Deery was arrested and taken to Enniskillen Police Station. Constable McCrossan told the court that on the journey back to the station, the accused became aggressive and referred to himself as a “black whore” while making rude gestures with his tongue towards the female officer.
She explained that the defendant spat in the direction of the other police officer.
Under cross-examination Deery denied banging the front door of their home.
“I had no issue with them. Her husband had a bad attitude with me when I moved in.
“I moved out because they were sending police to my door all the time.”
District Judge Nigel Broderick spoke of how Mrs Barron took every precaution to protect herself and her children.
Deery was also ordered to pay fines totalling £125.
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