A 52-year-old woman has been sentenced to three years and four months in prison for conducting a relentless harassment campaign against her upstairs neighbours through their Ring doorbell camera.
Drina Gray, from Wandsworth in south-west London, subjected the young couple to years of torment that left them feeling trapped and frightened in their own home, Kingston upon Thames Crown Court heard.
Judge Peter Lodder KC said Gray had made her neighbours' lives "hell" by harassing them "morning, noon and night" despite court orders attempting to stop her behaviour.
The harassment began after victim Ben, 32, who bought his first flat in 2022, reported Gray for kicking her dog.
Drina Gray has been jailed
MET POLICE
Gray's campaign of terror included damaging the couple's front door cameras repeatedly, shouting threats such as "watch your back and that's a warning" and "I can get you [expletive] killed", the court heard.
She also blasted loud music and hoovered the communal hallway in the early hours, causing Ben to lose his job at a startup company due to lack of sleep.
Ben told the court he found the threats "terrifying" and experienced suicidal thoughts, now requiring medication for anxiety and depression.
In a statement, he said he was forced to stay with friends and family, struggled to sleep, had nightmares and ultimately lost his "peace of mind, health and job".
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Drina Gray appeared on the couple's Ring doorbell
CROWN PROSECUTION SERVICE
Judge Lodder told Gray: "You made the lives of your neighbours hell. You persistently harassed them morning, noon and night. Despite orders being obtained to seek to prevent you from behaving in the way you did, you continued in your campaign."
He added that whilst she may have been under the influence of alcohol, "that is not an excuse, that is an aggravation, and it is no consolation at all to the people you were threatening with extreme violence".
In mitigation, defence lawyer Tammy Sher said Gray had experienced long-term alcohol problems and two road accidents in 2023 that affected her physical and mental health.
Gray expressed regret in a letter to the court, citing poor mental and physical health during the period.
She was sentenced for four charges, including harassment, criminal damage and using threatening words with intent to cause distress, spanning six months in 2024.
Gray was sentenced at Kingston Crown Court
PAThe judge granted a 10-year restraining order banning her from going within a mile of the victims' address or contacting them.
Wandsworth Council confirmed it is "continuing to seek possession" of Gray's property, with the court hearing she has no intention of returning.
Speaking to reporters outside court, Ben and his partner Emma said they felt "incredible" and "as though the fight was worth it".
"It has been such a long and drawn-out battle," Ben said. "Finally, we can relax for the first time in two years."
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