Doctor 'sent death threat in row with neighbours over pruning plants'

'Life's work': the garden at the heart of the dispute
Tony Palmer
Tony Palmer29 March 2017
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A retired doctor who was locked in a bitter dispute with his neighbours received a death threat after pruning roses hanging over his garden fence, a court heard.

Dr Mathiaparanam Sreetharan, 73, was told in a note: “Cut my plants again and you will die.”

He found the “shocking” threat posted on his fence last summer as relations with mother and daughter Rosa and Rebecca Rahman, 46, turned nasty.

Wimbledon magistrates’ court heard that the neighbours had fallen out over plants and branches hanging over their shared back fence in Balham Park Road, Balham.

Rebecca Rahman, a production manager, told the Sri Lankan-born doctor: “People in this country have a garden. Where you come from is just mud huts and no garden.”

Dr Mathiaparanam Sreetharan said he received shouts of abuse after clearing plants on his side of the property
Tony Palmer

Her 75-year-old mother, who believed the doctor had poured weedkiller over the fence, was convicted of assaulting Dr Sreetharan by pushing him in the shoulder while calling him a “nasty little man”.

Giving evidence, Rosa Rahman said: “My life is the garden. I spent a lot of money on it and he started cutting everything he could reach.

"It’s my life’s work and he’s ruined everything. He was ruining my garden... I was very angry, I just looked at my plants and cried.”

Dr Sreetharan told the court: “I was clearing plants that had come onto my side of the property. The neighbours were there shouting at me, very abusive language.”

Rosa and Rebecca Rahman outside court
Tony Palmer

He claimed to be scared for his life when he found the “death note”, and also captured Rebecca Rahman on tape as she made the “mud huts” comment.

She admitted racially aggravated threatening behaviour and harassment, and her mother was convicted of the assault which was witnessed by a third party.

District Judge Barbara Barnes cleared the women of arming themselves with bricks during the dispute.

She acquitted Rosa Rahman of harassment and making a racist remark, and dismissed Dr Sreetharan’s claim that he had been scared for his life.

“The complainant was not a credible or convincing witness... I don’t find his account of being scared for his life or that these ladies came at him with bricks as plausible.”

Spanish-born Rosa Rahman, who denied all the charges, was fined £75 for the assault on July 5 and ordered to pay £180 in costs and fees.

Rebecca Rahman admitted racially aggravated threatening behaviour on June 30 and harassing the doctor between June 26 and August 23.

She was put on probation for 12 months and must complete 100 hours of community service while paying a £200 fine and £170 in costs.

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