A 58-YEAR-OLD man is the first Swindon resident to be banned from his own village after a reign of terror against a couple who alerted police when he tried to drive while drunk.

Michael Redpath was jailed for five months and banned from the entire village of Wanborough for five years at Swindon County Court.

The case follows years of drunken and loutish behaviour displayed towards numerous villagers – concluding in threats to “torch the house” of the neighbours who bore the brunt of his abuse.

Redpath’s behaviour began shortly after his direct neighbours Paul Johnson and Angela Matthews, who live together, saw the ‘known alcoholic’ trying to climb into his car while drunk in 2003.

Mr Johnson said he approached Redpath’s car and said that he would drive him wherever he wanted to go but he refused the offer.

The police were called and he was later jailed for six months.

When he was released from prison in May 2003 his vengeful behaviour began when he scratched every panel but one on Mr Johnson’s Nissan car.

He was later given a suspended possession order – meaning he could only remain in his council property if he paid his rent and caused no further trouble.

But only days later he assaulted the landlord of the nearby pub New Calley Arms.

A year later he was back in his former street, Warneage Green, damaging three cars, including Mr Johnson’s, after drinking heavily. For that offence he was given an eight-week prison sentence.

However, Redpath remained undeterred, and later breached a 2007 injunction earning him a further eight months in prison and a banning order from all Wanborough pubs and Warneage Green.

The abuse continued when he was released with more threatening behaviour and vitriolic voicemail messages.

Incidents culminated when Mr Redpath held a lighter to the base of Ms Matthew’s car claiming he would commit arson on April 29, which resulted in him appeared at the county court.

He was later reported as saying to Mr Johnson: “I’ll damage anything else I want to as you have made my life a misery. No matter what happens I’ll always come back. It’s my village”.

Last year the Adver reported a ‘groundbreaking’ case at the High Court in London.

Judges found that Swindon Council was within its rights to ban Mr Redpath from his former street, even though he was no longer a council tenant.

The judges in London ruled that it was displaying “proper concern” for its tenants by banning him. It was the first council in the country to ban someone from a street who was not one of its tenants.

Were tormented by him for years

paUL Johnson said Redpath’s behaviour has been affecting his life for the past seven years. Mr Johnson, who has lived in Warneage Green for 13 years, said: “We knew he had a drinking problem but when I saw him trying to get into his car I thought there are many elderly and children on this street, he could injure someone. “I offered him a ride but he refused, so I called the police. “His behaviour was a pain more than anything else because you couldn’t go anywhere and enjoy yourself because you always have a concern that he is going to damage something. “But we are not the only people who have suffered, others have been threatened, assaulted or had their cars smashed. “People from all over have tried to help him in different ways but he carries on. “Some people are nice to him because they are fearful and scared of reprisal, and he thinks they are his friends, but I am not scared of him. I have every hope that this will finish now, but you never know because he has no respect for the law.”