Jailed with no early release: Boat-dwelling neighbour from hell Alan Young terrorised couple for three years and shot at police officers

A neighbour from hell who terrorised a couple, making their lives “a living nightmare”, and then shot at police officers trying to arrest him has been jailed for four-and-a-half years – with no chance of early release.

The three-and-a-half-year campaign of harassment by Sawbridgeworth boat dweller Alan Young, 57, culminated in him throwing a bucket of human faeces and urine at one of the victims.

Young, of no fixed address, pleaded guilty to charges of harassment with a fear of violence, administering a poison or noxious thing with intent and possession of an air rifle with intent to cause fear of violence.

He appeared at St Albans Crown Court last Thursday (March 20) for sentencing, where he was told by the presiding judge that due to the seriousness of his actions, he would not be eligible for early release.

The court heard how at the start of 2021, Young began living on a canal boat on the River Stort in Sawbridgeworth, near Kecksy’s Farm.

For unknown reasons, he quickly took a dislike to a couple living nearby and began to intimidate them. He verbally abused them, threatened to kill them and on one occasion gestured towards them with an axe.

The abuse came to a head in early July last year, when an argument culminated in Young throwing a bucket of human urine and faeces at one of the victims.

When police officers turned up to arrest him on July 7, he shot at them with an air rifle, but no one was injured.

Young was swiftly charged and remanded in custody before deciding to plead guilty in January this year.

Det Con Emma Lanaway, from the East Herts local crime unit, said: “The victims in this case were living in constant fear of Young. They were simply trying to live a quiet life but were persistently bullied by the defendant, who made their existence a living nightmare.

“We are pleased to have achieved this sentence for Young, who is now behind bars and unable to target any more innocent people.

“Everyone has the right to feel safe in their own home, so we hope the victims can put this horrendous experience behind them and move forward with their life together.”

Young was also handed a 10-year restraining order which warns him not to contact the victims otherwise he will face arrest.

He was sentenced to 54 months’ imprisonment for the air rifle offence. Sentences of 28 months for causing/administering a poison/noxious thing with intent to injure/aggrieve/annoy and 27 weeks for harassment with a fear of violence will run concurrently with the weapons term.

He must also pay a victim surcharge of £228.