Stalkers jailed

Two women who ‘terrorised’ their neighbours in Bassingham have been jailed for five and half years each.

Susan Chen, 61, and Linda Lu, 35, repeatedly used derogatory abuse, played loud and taunting music and subjected James and Lynn Smith to loud banging and metallic noises for three months – all over a hedge.

The mother and daughter pair, previously of Linga Lane, Bassingham, were sentenced Lincoln Crown Court after being found guilty of stalking involving serious alarm or distress following a six-week trial in October.  

Both women were also issued with a restraining order without limited time, which has multiple prohibitions, including ones contacting the victims and their family, and other witnesses, or from contacting their employers. They must also not attend any location those people may be or enter the village of Bassingham. 

A separate restraining order was also issued not to contact either police officer involved in the case directly or indirectly.

On sentencing, Judge James House KC said that the pair had begun a ‘persistent, calculated and appalling series of behaviours designed to cause the victims the maximum distress possible’. 

He added that it was one of the most serious cases of this kind that the court has had to deal with".

"In short, the defendants terrorised the Smith family." 

Both victims were praised by the judge for showing remarkable courage throughout the trial process. He also praised both officers who investigated the case, saying they ‘have been a credit to the uniform they wear’.

Lincolnshire Police had released a statement from Lead investigating officer, Community Beat Manager (CBM) PC Jordan Bathie-Drexler from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team explaining why this was so much more than just a neighbour dispute – Mr Smith had cut the hedge, but the offenders claimed it was theirs and started their stalking campaign. 

He said: “This case might be mistaken as a neighbour dispute. But what on the face of it looked like ASB, was actually offending against the victims that took place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over a three-month period until the offenders were remanded in custody. 

"All steps of intervention and control – which included community warning notices, visiting from police and words of advice, working with the ASB officers at North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) – were ignored by the suspects, who made it their mission to torment the victims. The case highlights the importance of Neighbourhood Policing and having dedicated Neighbourhood officers for specific areas – and importantly the difference we have been able to make because we have that in place. 

"The fact that as a local officer I have a good understanding of the local area and its community, meant the impact of crime in a certain area was recognised quickly.”  

One of the ways this case came together was PC Bathie-Drexler tracking down and collating hundreds of ASB reports made to police and the council by the victims and other witnesses.

Taken in isolation, they could have been missed as one-off incident. But when these were brought together, they told the story of repeated and persistent offending to make an overwhelming prosecution case.

Before they were charged, the mother and daughter were issued with community protection notices, warning letters, and arrested on several occasions.

This did not stop their behaviour, and Linda Lu, a qualified solicitor, served multiple civil letters of claim which were entirely vexatious, to the victims as part of their stalking activities.

Officers continued to build their case. They scoured hours of CCTV footage and obtained accounts from dozens of witnesses from across the country to compile their case file. They also put together compilations of audio and video files from hundreds of clips which demonstrated the foul behaviour towards the victims.

After working closely with the CPS, Lu (left) and Chen were finally charged in October last year and remanded for six months pending a trial which had been due to take place in April. This was adjourned and they were then released on bail until the trial began in September.  They have been remanded since being found guilty.

PC Bathie-Drexler added: “In almost 10 years of policing, I have never seen such persistent, relentless and unprovoked offending by a suspect. Linda Lu utilised her position as a registered solicitor in order to carry out an all-out war on the victims of this case. This case has involved hundreds of hours work by police, as well as multiple witnesses who came forward assisted in the case and ensuring justice prevailed. 

"The victims in this case have conducted themselves with dignity in what was a very distressing three months of their lives, and in reality, even longer as they sat through the trial process. They can now start to begin to rebuild their lives and return to some form of normality. I’d also like to thank the solicitors and staff working for CPS who worked tirelessly up to and during the trial, and the jury who had expected to be sworn in for seven days and ended up spending a month and a half at court.”