Alison Denyer, 43, died before 'neighbour from hell' Gordon Clarke, 49, was put on trial at the Old Bailey this week.

The statement she made to police was read to the jury about the 'continual problems' with the Clarke family over the previous 21 years.

Ms Denyer, who was registered disabled with a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis, added: "This has been going on for so many years and it really needs to be sorted out."

She told how on February 18, 2007, she and her elderly mother Barbara were abused by Clarke's daughter Stacey in the car park of Black Dog Walk, Crawley, West Sussex.

Ms Denyer said: "She said: 'You sad gits. I'm not worried about you two. You are going to die soon.'

"She then took several photos of the car. I then saw Gordon Clarke walk up towards me.

"He snatched the camera from his daughter and started taking pictures. We were all walking off and Gordon Clarke said to all of us 'Let's have a group photo.'

"Then he said ''Scratches, scratches.'' I felt very intimidated and harassed by Gordon and Stacey.'

Gordon Clarke is accused of breaking a five-year ASBO made on August 4, 2006, banning him from abusing his neighbours.

It is claimed he was heard making foul-mouthed comments about his neighbours less than three weeks later.

He allegedly boasted that he would dance on the grave of Barbara Denyer's late husband, a retired policeman.

Clarke also branded John Ferreria a paedophile, the court heard.

Mr Ferreria told the jury how he had been forced to install seven cameras around his home because of the problems with the Clarke family.

He said: "At the beginning I believed it was a nice family but when the nice neighbours told us about them we had a meeting and decided to install cameras to protect the people and children.

"Since then it is awful. They (the Clarke family] cause my family a lot of stress and sickness. My eldest daughter left because of it."

Clarke's next-door neighbour Graham Sanger also told the court how his life had been affected.

"We have the swearing and the screaming every day almost. Even last night at 11pm there was swearing outside the house.

"You cannot enjoy the quality of life, going into the garden is a no now. They have got 12 dogs because they breed them, the barking is almost continual. You can't sleep before midnight.

"But it appears the council are scared of them."

Prosecutor Audrey Archer has told jurors: "He has been made the subject of orders in the past in relation to residents but he breaks them.

"Behaviour that is not prosecuted is not going to stop. These orders are imposed on persons to prohibit them carrying out behaviour that causes harassment, alarm and distress to another."

Clarke, of Black Dog Walk, Crawley, West Sussex, denies two counts of breaching an ASBO.

The trial continues.

ends