A NIGHTMARE neighbour who ignored a legal bid to keep him from distressing residents has narrowly escaped a month in jail.

Marcel Dumoitier, a 72-year-old former resident of Columbia Close, Kingsholm, was taken to court by Gloucester City Homes for breaching his anti-social behaviour order.

The order was imposed last November after years of nuisance behaviour, including loud arguments with a neighbour.

At the hearing at Gloucester County Court on April 30, Dumoitier was sentenced to one month in prison, suspended for two years.

If the injunction is broken, Dumoitier could face up to two years in prison for being in contempt of court.

Sara Taylor, anti-social behaviour team leader for Gloucester City Homes, said: "I am delighted to have taken this action against someone who has breached their conditions of injunction, regardless of their age.

"I hope the risk of going to prison will provide one final opportunity for Mr Dumoitier to think twice before breaching his order again.

"He cannot continue to cause further upset, annoyance, alarm and distress to his neighbours without fear of reprisals."

The organisation's chief executive, Ashley Green, added: "Yet again we have taken strong action against someone who seems to think he can simply ignore the law.

"Yet again, we have brought him back to court and I sincerely hope Mr Dumoitier learns this time, otherwise I am sure he will find himself in prison.

"I hope that it does not come to this, but if he continues to upset the peace and quiet of everyone else, then he will no doubt face the consequences of his actions."

Andrew Harley, a fellow Kingsholm resident and chairman of the Kingsholm Tenants' Consultative Committee, said: "He had been living on the estate for many, many years and was causing considerable unrest among residents.

"He's notorious for trying to wind people up.

"I just hope his new neighbours where he's living now do not suffer the same as the people in his block in Kingsholm, because it's not at all nice."