An 84-year-old woman has secured a partial victory in the High Court after years of “violent attacks and intimidation” from her neighbours
In what’s been branded a “campaign of terror”, neighbours allegedly spat, shot and threw dog poo at Yvonne Hayes.
Mrs Hayes, from Liss in Hampshire, was granted an interim anti-harassment injunction against 76-year-old Peter Overton following her ordeal in Liss, where properties fetch around £1million.
However, the pensioner’s requests for further injunctions on behalf of her forestry company and against co-defendant Ian Brodrick, 64, were dismissed.
The dispute started in 2016 over contested rights to a track in the affluent neighbourhood, according to court proceedings.
Mrs Hayes told the court how she had been subjected to multiple physical assaults since the boundary dispute began.
She alleged that in December 2024, Mr Overton “pushed me from behind, and caused me to fall onto my left side”.
“He further assaulted me by kicking me in the groin area,” she told the court.
Yvonne Hayes endured ‘violent attacks and intimidation’ at her home in Liss (pictured), the court heard
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The pensioner claimed another incident in March 2023 involving Ian Brodrick, 64, left her requiring hospital treatment.
“He swung out his arm to forcefully strike me across the back of my head causing me to fall to the ground,” she said.
She said the alleged attack left her with sprained wrists and forced her to undergo brain scans.
Ms Hayes also Mr Overton of firing a shotgun over her property and spitting at her.
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She also claimed she was kicked in the groin – and has accused one or both of the men of “throwing dog faeces” onto her property.
The defendants have denied her claims.
Their lawyer Nicholas Leviseur said: “Mrs Hayes is not telling the truth and is doing what she generally does when she is crossed, which is to throw allegations of great seriousness against others so that they give way and do her bidding.”
Mr Brodrick was previously cleared of assault charges by magistrates following a 2018 incident where Hayes claimed “he pushed me to the ground and kicked me twice”.
The defendants’ lawyers claim both Mrs Hayes and employees of Hayes Forestry Ltd conducted their own campaign of harassment, including “firing an air rifle” at Mr Overton.
Hayes has denied these counter-allegations.
A High Court judge has encouraged all parties to pursue an out-of-court settlement
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PA
High Court judge Mr Justice Jay described the case as “a tragedy” involving neighbours who “dislike each other to the greatest possible degree”.
While granting the interim injunction against Mr Overton, who was absent from proceedings due to illness, Justice Jay found insufficient evidence to support similar orders for Hayes’s business or against Mr Brodrick.
The specifics of the injunction remain to be finalised by the parties’ legal representatives or determined by judicial decision if consensus cannot be achieved.
The matter will return to court to determine whether the injunction should be maintained and in what form, whilst the underlying boundary dispute is scheduled for county court proceedings next year.
The judge encouraged all parties to pursue an out-of-court settlement.