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Maths teacher made Nazi taunts to German neighbours | Maths teacher made Nazi taunts to German neighbours |
(about 1 hour later) | |
A maths teacher has been found guilty of harassing his German neighbours by playing wartime classics and performing a Nazi salute. | 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. | 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. | The court heard he played Vera Lynn's White Cliffs Of Dover, the Dambusters theme tune, Rule Britannia and a Winston Churchill speech. |
Butler, of Lower Upnor, Kent, was given a three-year conditional discharge. | |
He was spared jail at the request of his neighbours, who said they did not want vengeance. | |
'Whistling Dambusters' | 'Whistling Dambusters' |
Butler was also given a restraining order banning him from playing loud music and being threatening, abusive or insulting towards the couple. | |
The court heard the relationship between Butler and the Wendts turned sour shortly after they moved next door to the teacher in the village near Rochester in 2007. | |
Barrister Thomas Daniel referred to several incidents between July 2007 and April 2011 where Butler is alleged to have harassed the couple. | |
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. | 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." |
Butler replied: "What do you expect? I have wasted 10 months of my life over this." | |
Speaking outside the court Mr and Mrs Wendt said they were too frightened to go on living opposite Butler and would have to move. | |
Mrs Wendt said: "It has been hell. It has been awful. | |
"We have had nightmares and have not been sleeping. I have just been so upset." | |
Butler refused to comment as he left the court. |