Court told Geoffrey Vaughan burned down neighbour's shed

A MAN deliberately burned down a garden shed as part of a campaign of harassment against his neighbours, a court heard.

Margaret Barker, 81, who lived alone in a ground floor flat in West Road, South Ockendon, was in bed in the early hours of June 24 when she heard Geoffrey Vaughan standing outside and shouting that her plastic garden shed had burned down.

Andrew Jackson, prosecution counsel, told the jury at Basildon Crown Court today that Vaughan, 62, was not acting as a "Good Samaritan" as he had started the fire.

Mr Jackson said Vaughan, who lived in the same block, was captured on motion sensitive CCTV carrying newspaper and a bottle containing liquid as he left his flat, with his dressing gown pulled over his head, and headed towards the garden, just before the fire started.

Four minutes later he was recorded returning to his flat carrying just a bottle before returning minutes later with more newspaper.

The shed was completely destroyed by the blaze and the smoke, which travelled through an air vent into Mrs Barker's flat, from the burning plastic would have been highly toxic.

Mr Jackson also said the alleged arson was not the only offence Vaughan had committed against his neighbours.

He added: "Not only did Geoffrey Vaughan set fire to that shed on June 24 but by doing so it was a culmination of a considerable and sustained period of harassment, not just against Mrs Barker but other neighbours as well.

"What the prosecution say is that for a period of time this defendant made it his business to make the life of Margaret Barker and other neighbours pretty much a misery."

Mr Jackson said Mrs Barker had previously had another shed on the same site but it had been burned down by Vaughan.

He said the defendant has a conviction for assaulting another neighbour and a police caution for using being abusive to other residents. Vaughan denies one count of arson, being reckless as to whether life is endangered.

The trial continues.