A nightmare neighbour who made resident's lives a misery by pouring CONCRETE into their sewage pipes in order to flood their homes has been jailed.

John Doherty, 35, even built a wall in order to block a neighbour's window during a long-running campaign of harassment and intimidation.

JPs heard he flooded six neighbours' homes after verbally abusing and threatening them on Woodville Road, in Overseal, Derbs.

One female resident was forced to move out of her home for months after Doherty filled her pipes with concrete while others were left fearing for their safety.

He thought he was "untouchable" and continually made neighbours lives a living hell for more than a year by also blocking access for their cars and setting fires.

Last Thursday Doherty was jailed for 39 weeks after being found guilty of harassment between April 28, 2016 and April 26, 2017 at Southern Derbyshire Magistrates' Court.

He was also given a five-year Criminal Behaviour Order, preventing him from having any outdoor fires, blocking access to vehicles and operating outdoor machinery.

Sergeant Graham Summers, from Derbyshire Police, said after the case: "Mr Doherty carried out his harassment campaign directed at his neighbours, including verbally abusing and threatening them, filling sewage pipes with concrete and building walls to cover their windows.

"He forced a woman to leave her home for months by filling her sewage pipe with concrete.

"Mr Doherty tried to prevent Severn Trent from making repairs and due to this our officers were required to escort their staff.

"But then he went and did it again.

"He also built a wall to cover the window of one neighbour's window.

"He was out to cause a nuisance.

"He would light fires and park vehicles at his home to cause problems for everybody else in the area.

"This was a harassment campaign and I would describe him as the neighbour from hell.

"This has been a difficult investigation due to the nature of this man's attitude and tactics.

"He thought that he was untouchable, but through a careful and diligent investigation by PC John Anwar and PC Bill Crerar the evidence was gathered and put to the court.

"We worked closely with Claire Rawlins at South Derbyshire District Council who worked on the Criminal Behaviour Order and provided the information to the court.

"This case highlights strong partnership working and how this can have positive results by bringing someone to justice.

"He was very clever.

"He knew exactly what he was doing when trying to get away with some of his actions.

"But the officers were good.

"Doherty's neighbours were very keen to give evidence against him and see him be dealt with."

Doherty was previously issued with an enforcement notice to remove a pile of hardcore rubble he dumped on his land without permission, which prevented water from draining and caused homes to flood.

He was also previously embroiled in a row with South Derbyshire District Council which turned down his plan to set up a five-pitch traveller site.

He appealed the council's decision, which was overturned by an independent government inspector.

Councillors on the planning committee turned the plan down as they felt it could cause harm to living conditions of neighbours due to the movement of commercial vehicles in and out of the site.