Two women who repeatedly used derogatory abuse peppered with foul slurs, played loud and taunting music, and subjected their neighbours to loud banging and metallic noises have today been sentenced to five and a half years in prison.
Susan Chen, 61, and Linda Lu, 35, previously of Linga Lane in Bassingham, received the sentence today (Friday, 6 December) at Lincoln Crown Court after being found guilty of stalking involving serious alarm or distress following a six-week trial in October.
Both women were also issued with a restraining order without a time limit, which includes multiple prohibitions, such as contacting the victims and their families, other witnesses, or their employers. They must also not attend any location where those individuals may be, or enter the village of Bassingham.
A separate restraining order was also issued, prohibiting them from contacting either police officer involved in the case, directly or indirectly.
On sentencing, Judge James House KC said that the pair had begun a “persistent, calculated and appalling series of behaviours designed to cause the victims the maximum distress possible,” adding that it was “one of the most serious cases of this kind that this court has had to deal with.”
Both victims were praised by the judge for showing “remarkable courage” throughout the trial process. He also commended the officers who investigated the case, saying they “have been a credit to the uniform they wear.”
Lead investigating officer, Community Beat Manager (CBM) PC Jordan Bathie-Drexler from the local Neighbourhood Policing Team, explained why this was so much more than “just a neighbour dispute.”
He said: “This case might be mistaken as a neighbour dispute. But what on the face of it looked like ASB was actually offending against the victims that took place 24 hours a day, seven days a week, over a three-month period until the offenders were remanded in custody.
“All steps of intervention and control – which included community warning notices, visits from police and words of advice, and working with the ASB officers at North Kesteven District Council (NKDC) – were ignored by the suspects, who made it their mission to torment the victims. This case highlights the importance of Neighbourhood Policing and having dedicated Neighbourhood officers for specific areas – and, importantly, the difference we have been able to make because we have that in place.
“The fact that, as a local officer, I have a good understanding of the local area and its community meant the impact of crime in a certain area was recognised quickly.”
One of the ways this case came together was PC Bathie-Drexler tracking down and collating hundreds of ASB reports made to police and the council by the victims and other witnesses.
Taken in isolation, these could have been missed as one-off incidents. But when brought together, they told the story of repeated and persistent offending, making an overwhelming prosecution case.
Before they were charged, the mother and daughter were issued with community protection notices, warning letters, and arrested on several occasions.
This did not stop their behaviour, and Linda Lu, a qualified solicitor, served multiple civil letters of claim, which were entirely vexatious, to the victims as part of their stalking activities.
Officers continued to build their case. They reviewed hours of CCTV footage and obtained accounts from dozens of witnesses from across the country to compile their case file. They also created compilations of audio and video files from hundreds of clips demonstrating the foul behaviour towards the victims – although these clips are not being shared to avoid further distress.
After working closely with the CPS, Lu and Chen were finally charged in October last year and remanded for six months pending a trial that was due to take place in April. This was adjourned, and they were then released on bail until the trial began in September. They have been remanded since being found guilty.
PC Bathie-Drexler added: “In almost 10 years of policing, I have never seen such persistent, relentless and unprovoked offending by a suspect. Linda Lu utilised her position as a registered solicitor to carry out an all-out war on the victims of this case. This case has involved hundreds of hours of work by police, as well as multiple witnesses who came forward and assisted in ensuring justice prevailed.
“The victims in this case have conducted themselves with dignity during what was a very distressing three months of their lives – and, in reality, even longer, as they sat through the trial process. They can now begin to rebuild their lives and return to some form of normality. I’d also like to thank the solicitors and staff working for the CPS who worked tirelessly up to and during the trial, as well as the jury who had expected to be sworn in for seven days but ended up spending a month and a half in court.”
Pictured left is Linda Lu and right is Susan Chen.