Builder who chopped up his neighbours’ trampoline in bitter row over parking is banned from leaving his van in any space but his own

• Simon Short, 45, destroyed his neighbours’ trampoline in Southampton last year
• He broke a restraining order by blocking his neighbours in their parking space 

A builder who chopped up a trampoline belonging to his neighbours has been banned from parking in any space other than his own in the latest stage of a bitter feud.

Simon Short, 45, was given a restraining order in June last year after he destroyed the apparatus when high winds blew it into the communal car park in Southampton, Hampshire.

However, Short then breached the ban by blocking his neighbour’s vehicle and on other occasions, he parked his van in their space.

Magistrates heard Short’s behaviour left his neighbours feeling like they were ‘walking on eggshells’ although he insisted the allegations were ‘fictitious lies’.

Now, the builder – who argued he couldn’t leave his van in the street due to drug addicts in the area – has been banned from parking in any space other than his own for the next three years.

Simon Short, 45, was given a restraining order in June last year after he destroyed the toy when high winds blew it into the communal car park in Southampton, Hampshire

Short breached the restraining order by blocking his neighbour’s vehicle and on other occasions, he parked his van in their space (Pictured: the shared car park)

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Both sets of neighbours had access to the shared car park with allocated parking spaces.

After the restraining order was imposed in June 2022, Short was accused of breaching it just four months later in October the same year.

Prosecutor, Natalie Angel told Southampton Magistrates Court that Short knew that the space belongs to the unnamed neighbours and despite being told by magistrates that the land isn’t his, he refuses to accept it.

She said: ‘He parked essentially blocking them in and then moved into the space.

‘[The neighbour] is bemused and shocked by the behaviour of this defendant. He doesn’t feel safe in his own home.

‘He feels like he is walking on eggshells all the time. He said I just want him to leave us alone and stop impacting on our lives.’

However, Short insisted the events were ‘all fictitious lies’ and that he was ‘the victim of a hate crime’.

Speaking at his sentencing, he told magistrates: ‘It is a monstrous story. It is totally absurd. I have had to pay for this shambolic trial.’

The builder initially pleaded not guilty to breaching the restraining order but was convicted at trial after arguing he couldn’t park in the street due to drug addicts in the area.

He was given a £400 fine and was ordered to pay court costs of £620 for the incident which took place on October 15 last year.

He was also given a six-month community order with 12 rehabilitation days and must pay a £114 surcharge.

A new restraining order was made banning him from contacting his neighbour or parking in any space other than his own for the next three years.

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