EXCLUSIVENeighbours at war head back to court as one ignores order to remove highly intrusive CCTV cameras that leave his home looking like a nuclear submarine base in five-year spat
Neighbours who are at war are back in court over an order to remove highly intrusive CCTV cameras that leave a home looking like a nuclear submarine base.
Neighbours who are at war are back in court over an order to remove highly intrusive CCTV cameras that leave a home looking like a nuclear submarine base.
The bitter five-year feud is continuing on as one neighbour has stubbornly refused the order to take the cameras down.
Homeowner Kevin Grogan installed a gate to block off access to a communal alleyway and he installed the CCTV cameras, which had night vision and audio recording, to enforce his land-grab.
Residents in the cul-de-sac in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, complained about Mr Grogan, who they dubbed a neighbour from hell, and claimed the cameras were being used to spy on them.
He was ordered by a court to take them down, and he was convicted in September, 2023, for failing to do so. A judge overturned this conviction but the order remained in place.
However he still refused to take the cameras down, and so is due back in court.
Homeowner Kevin Grogan installed a gate to block off access to a communal alleyway and he installed the CCTV cameras, which had night vision and audio recording
Kevin Grogan is pictured with his gate
Mohammed Alam with his wife Anju and their four-year-old daughter Aya
One of the CCTV cameras which Mr Grogan has been told to take down
Since then, Mr Grogan and his wife Frances have been locked in a battle with next-door neighbours, Mr Mohammed Alam and his wife Anju, which has led to several angry incidents and police called dozens of times.
Former builder Mr Grogan, 69, kept the cameras up and although Mr Alam took down the gate to the alleyway using an angle grinder, Mr Grogan has continued to block access to it using a trailer.
Its understood Mr Grogan is pursuing a civil claim against another resident, claiming bricks belonging to him were damaged when the alleyway was cleared as police looked on.
Mr Alam, 40, says hes at the end of his tether and has accused Mr Grogan of deliberately defying attempts to curb his nuisance behaviour.
He claims the Grogans have painted themselves as the victims despite being aggressors in the dispute and have fabricated claims against him and made false reports to police.
The Grogans persistent harassment has caused significant distress to my family, leading to psychological impacts, anxiety and emotional distress, Mr Alam said.
Some of the CCTV cameras have barbed wire protecting them
CCTV cameras, which have night vision and audio recording
Kevin Grogan blocked the public path and the spare land
The police took the cameras down once but he just put them back up
And he continues to ignore warnings to take them down, dragging this issue through the courts and wasting public money.
Other neighbours said they felt sorry for Mr Alam, saying Mr Grogan had so many cameras at his property it resembled Fort Knox.
The cameras are just too intrusive and even had listening devices, one woman said.
He should take them down.
Other residents claimed Mr Grogan had driven out the two previous occupants of Mr Alams property.
Mr Grogans other next-door neighbour said hed had problems with high trees overhanging into his front and back garden.
Khalid Ramzan who lives close by to Mr Grogan
Pictured is Mr Grogan up a ladder by one of the cameras
Mohammed Alam took down the gate to the alleyway using an angle grinder
But Khalid Ramzan, 56, said Mr Grogan had told him to cut them down himself, which hed been reluctant to do because they werent his property.
I try to not to deal with him to be honest. I dont want anything to do with him really.
Former police sergeant Richard Garland, who gave evidence when Mr Grogan was convicted for breaching the CPN, said he was flabbergasted to hear it had been overturned by a crown court judge.
Hed previously described the CCTV cameras as highly intrusive and more suited to a nuclear submarine base.
I was asked to give evidence at the appeal, he said.
But I was never called into court and the judge made her decision based on some video evidence that Mr Grogan had presented.
I went as far to write to the judge saying her decision had given him the green light to ignore the order.
But a CPS spokesperson confirmed Mr Grogan has been charged with breaching the CPN again and hes due to appear in court in January.
He was previously convicted in October 2021 for using a trailer to block access to the alleyway and given a six-month conditional discharge.
Mr Alam was fined in October, last year, for a public order offence and handed a five-year restraining order after the pair had clashed in the street.
Attempts were made to speak to Mr Grogan, who keep gates to his property padlocked, but he couldnt be contacted.
