Adrian Stairs will be allowed back when he is 74 (Picture: SWNS)

A man has been banned from going to his home village for 15 years after a dispute over shrubs got out of hand.

Adrian Stairs, 59, said he felt like he had been charged for ‘murder’ instead of antisocial behaviour, dismayed he would not be able to visit until he is 74 years old.

If he goes to Blisworth in Northamptonshire before then, he risks being sent to prison.

Police started getting reports from a neighbour of bad behaviour at the beginning of 2021.

Among complaints were that Stairs used a chainsaw to cut down several mature shrubs in his neighbour’s garden which had been planted near to the disputed boundary line.

Some of these shrubs had been there for more than 20 years and were given as gifts from family members who have since passed away.

‘As such, there was a strong sentimental value lost,’ Northamptonshire Police said.

The village of Blisworth, Northamptonshire, where Adrian Stairs has been banned from visiting, pictured today (Picture: SWNS)

A spokesperson added: ‘Stairs also assaulted his neighbours by threatening them with a brick during a dispute in the garden, causing the victims to fear imminent harm. Thankfully he did not actually throw it.’

They launched an investigation and eventually charged Stairs, who has moved to Wellingborough 15 miles away, with criminal damage and assault.

Victims told a court how they had been living in anxiety and fear, saying this ‘had been going on for several years and that others, including pensioners in their 80s, had been badly affected by him.’

Stairs was given a six-week prison sentence, suspended for 18 months, and handed a restraining order which prevents him from entering Blisworth for 15 years and from contacting the victims in any way.

He absconded from court prior to sentencing and was arrested again, and given an extra two weeks’ suspended imprisonment to run concurrently, along with an additional 60 day rehabilitation order for absconding from court.

But he claimed he is the victim, saying: ‘It started 20 years ago. The head of allotments accused my wife of stealing land at the back.

‘I cut some conifers at the back and they sent us an email saying we’d damaged produce. I had a go at them.

The former home of Adrain Stairs in the village of Blisworth, Northamptonshire (Picture: SWNS)

‘She’s since had a survey done and the surveyor has said the back boundary is in the right place.

‘I got a criminal damage order for cutting the overhanging shrub, it was all over hanging the garden.

‘We’ve put posts down and they’ve ripped them up.

‘I retaliated two times. I picked a brick up and said “if you don’t stop I’m going to lob this”.

‘I chucked it to the side of me. He claims he cowered behind the door.

‘I did cut down the shrubs. But have a look at what else they said I did. They said I threatened them with a chainsaw.

‘I’m not saying I’m an angel and I admit what I did, but it doesn’t help what they do.

‘I feel like I’ve got a charge of murder. I’ll be 74 by then, it’s a long time. I really don’t believe that it has happened.’

Sergeant Wyn Hughes said: ‘When the victims in this case were informed of the result and the restraining order, it was like a weight was lifted off their shoulders.

‘However, there are no real winners in this type of case as the impact upon the victims has been significant and prolonged.’

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Adrian Stairs said he felt like he had been charged for ‘murder’ and won’t be able to go back to Blisworth until he is 74 years old.