Windmill farmer cleared of harassing neighbour as bitter planning battle rages on

Janet Sewell, of Mill House Farm, in Windmill, near Bishop Auckland, denied posting "oppressive and unreasonable" pictures and comments on Facebook that were said to be targeted at her neighbour Alison Parker.

Farmer tells of ordeal after neighbour convicted of fraud

During her trial at Newton Aycliffe Magistrates' Court yesterday, James Palmer, prosecuting, argued Mrs Sewell had repeatedly posted comments directed at Mrs Parker between July 2016 and March 2017.

Mr Palmer said the pair fell out after Mrs Sewell submitted plans for three barns on her farm beginning in 2005.

Her neighbours, including Mrs Parker, formed a residents' group to complain about excessive noise and odour and took their case to the Local Government Ombudsman (LGO) in 2012 who issued a report saying the barns should never have been given consent.

However, in 2015, Mrs Parker - group secretary - was convicted of fraud after sending two letters of objection to the LGO purporting to be from Evenwood and Barony Parish Council.

Following the 51-year-old's conviction, the LGO issued a second report, changing its finding.

Mrs Parker - who asked the court use her maiden name of Bradford - said she acknowledged her conviction but felt "upset" as some of Mrs Sewell's posts named her as a "convicted fraudster" and was being told about the posts by her friends, as she had been blocked from the account.

She also said she felt unsafe, especially when a crew from the TV show, My Nightmare Neighbour Next Door, asked for an interview following her court case - a show Mrs Sewell featured in.

On cross-examination, Mrs Sewell's solicitor, Clive Booth, accused Mrs Parker of being a "serial complainer".

Mill House Farm has been the centre of a bitter planning dispute for more than a decade

DISPUTE: Mill House Farm, in Windmill, has been the centre of a bitter planning dispute for more than a decade

Mrs Sewell denied the her posts were directed at Mrs Parker, saying she was merely stating the facts and they were a way to vent her frustration at the planning failures by Durham County Council - an issue which is still ongoing and has caused her to have a breakdown and go bankrupt.

Mrs Sewell said she also agreed to go to mediation with Mrs Parker twice but she never turned up to the appointments.

"I have never been allowed to be portrayed as the victim," she said. "It's a bigger situation than some Facebook posts. It's not about Alison; it's about Janet. Somebody at some point in time needs to realise it's about Janet."

After hearing seven hours of evidence, District Judge Helen Cousins, found Mrs Sewell not guilty but did impose a five-year restraining order to prevent the 50-year-old referring to Mrs Parker in any further posts on Facebook.

"Why one of these parties does not move I have no idea," she said. "There are other things you can say that amount to freedom of speech - I regard these as oppressive and unreasonable."