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Maths teacher made Nazi taunts to German neighbours | |
(about 2 hours later) | |
A maths teacher has been found guilty of harassing his German neighbours by playing wartime classics and performing a Nazi salute. | |
Geoffrey Butler, 54, subjected Reinhard and Kathryn Wendt to years of "misery", Medway Magistrates' Court was told. | |
The court heard he played Vera Lynn's White Cliffs Of Dover, the Dambusters theme tune, Rule Britannia and a Winston Churchill speech. | |
Mr Butler, of Lower Upnor, Kent, had denied racially aggravated harassment. | |
The court heard the relationship between Mr Butler and the Wendts turned sour shortly after they moved next door to the teacher in the village near Rochester in 2007. | The court heard the relationship between Mr Butler and the Wendts turned sour shortly after they moved next door to the teacher in the village near Rochester in 2007. |
'Whistling Dambusters' | 'Whistling Dambusters' |
Barrister Thomas Daniel referred to several incidents between July 2007 and April 2011 where Mr Butler is alleged to have harassed the couple. | Barrister Thomas Daniel referred to several incidents between July 2007 and April 2011 where Mr Butler is alleged to have harassed the couple. |
Mr Butler said he did not own any Dad's Army-style music and that he never played music from his house. | |
The teacher was asked about whistling the Dambusters tune in the sight of his neighbours, but he told the court he could not whistle. | |
Alistair Dickson, prosecuting, said: "It sounds as though you do not like Mr Wendt very much." | Alistair Dickson, prosecuting, said: "It sounds as though you do not like Mr Wendt very much." |
Mr Butler replied: "What do you expect? I have wasted 10 months of my life over this." | Mr Butler replied: "What do you expect? I have wasted 10 months of my life over this." |