A vulnerable Devon woman who was left feeling suicidal and scared to leave her home after being terrorised by the relentless antisocial behaviour of her neighbour is now recovering from her ordeal thanks to a specialist charity. 

Disability Together – which receives funding from the Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner to provide victim services – is a Devon-based charity offering advice, advocacy and inclusive activities so Disabled and d/Deaf people can live the lives they choose. 

Last year Disability Together’s victim services helped 34 victims of crime in Devon and, of those, 23 are still receiving ongoing support due to the complexity of their cases.

Imogen – not her real name – is a 36-year-old woman who was left traumatised after her neighbour made her life and other residents a misery in a block of housing association flats. 

She recalled how it began with shouting at all times of the day and night and then progressed to front doors being vandalised and physical attacks. Residents also feared for their safety after the nuisance neighbour made malicious allegations about them on social media. 

Imogen said: “She posted on Facebook false and malicious allegations about residents and put our full address on there. She would kick our front doors or hit them with a baseball bat. 

“One time I came out of my door and she threw gloss paint at me for no reason and shouted a lot of abuse. Another time she physically attacked one of my neighbour’s. 

“I was a prisoner in my own home as I was too scared to go out in case I saw her. I had been through an abusive relationship so her actions brought it all back. It left me feeling suicidal. 

“I had to have carers stay with me at night because I was so frightened and my support worker had to start coming with another support worker as a pair for their own safety. They helped get me a  doorbell camera which was used to capture evidence.” 

Police and Crime Commissioner Alison Hernandez said: “It is essential that every victim of crime across Devon, Cornwall and the Isles of Scilly has access to free support tailored to their individual requirements. That is why my office funds more than 40 support services to help them cope and recover. 

“I would urge any victim of crime – regardless of whether it has been reported to the police – to visit our Victim Care website to see what help is available.” 

Imogen’s ordeal lasted for around 12 months, during which the offender, who has mental health difficulties, spent a short time in prison for the offences and was eventually evicted. She is now living in a different county, and a court order is in place which forbids her from being able to have any contact with the residents in the block of flats or being within close proximity to it. 

Imogen said: “It takes me a while to process things but it was such a relief when she left. I was really petrified about her coming back. It took me a few weeks before I could downstairs again, hang my washing outside or sit in the garden. She took away all those things.”

It has now been just over a year since she left. Imogen’s doctors signposted her to a disability team in Newton Abbot for support. It was through them that she heard about Disability Together around six months ago. She is continuing to receive in-house counselling. 

She recalled: “I had been begging for help and support because I was feeling anxious and not myself and was having nightmares. 

“I was thinking about what had happened constantly but the counselling I have received has now taught me to do something active when that happens and I feel so much better after. 

“Disability Together has made a big difference to my life. They always check up on me. I think there needs to be more awareness about the support you can get, especially for people with disabilities because they understand you need a different type of support.” 

Disability Together provides information, advice and wellbeing support for Disabled, d/Deaf people and people with long-term health conditions across Devon. Its support services include accessible counselling, peer support, and opportunities to meet new people.

The service recognises that and Disabled and d/Deaf people victims can face additional barriers to reporting crime, accessing support and recovering from trauma, making specialist advocacy very important.

Heather Reilly, Disability Together victim services co-ordinator, said: “We are specifically tailored to help people with disabilities. The support we provide is very person-centred for that individual and almost a wraparound service. They can be helped by our own inhouse services, or we can refer them to other organisations. 

“The crimes we support people through are completely varied from neighbourhood youth issues right through to cases of sexual assault or a stabbing. We see a lot of romance fraud and credit fraud, especially among people with learning disabilities. 

“Often we see repeat victims who don’t know how to keep themselves safe, so a huge part of what we provide is safety advice. I’ve had people say that we have helped give them back their life and we will continue doing that.” 

Referrals to Disability Together victim services need to be made via the Devon & Cornwall Police Victim Care Unit by visiting Home – Victim Care Devon & Cornwall or call 01392 475900 (8am to 8pm Monday to Friday and 9am to 5pm weekends and bank holidays). 

To report a crime, contact Devon & Cornwall Police 101 for non-emergencies or online via Report | Devon & Cornwall Police