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Last Updated:  Thursday, 27 March, 2003, 17:27 GMT
'Neighbour from hell' sentenced
A County Armagh farmer who made life a misery for a neighbouring family over a period of 15 months has been given a suspended jail sentence.

Newry Crown Court was told Thomas Steen, 58, of Cabragh, Tandragee, damaged the Quinn family's telephone cable and punctured their water pipe.

He also put cattle onto their land to cause damage and damaged a brake cable on their car.

Steen was given a two-year prison sentence, suspended for five years.

He was also ordered to pay £12,000 in compensation to British Telecom.

Police, who were suspicious of Steen, installed covert cameras around the home of Edward Quinn.

Mr Quinn's family had lived on the farm for more than 50 years.

The court heard on Thursday that there were 54 incidents between November 2000 and December 2001.

Judge Randal McKay told Steen that his behaviour had been "totally outrageous".

He said an explanation for Steen's behaviour seemed to be a paranoid state resulting from depression.




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