This is the moment a man took an angle grinder to a metal gate after police were called to stop a bitter dispute between neighbours from escalating.
Residents complained after Kevin Grogan blocked off a public alleyway in Rochdale, Greater Manchester, by installing the gate and filling it with building debris.
Mr Grogan, 68, who claimed the land belonged to him, also used ‘highly intrusive’ CCTV cameras on four metre high poles which police described as more akin to a ‘nuclear submarine base’ to ‘spy’ on nearby homes.
The former builder – dubbed a ‘neighbour from hell’ – became involved in a four-year battle with the owners of an adjacent property, Mohammed Alam and his wife Anju, because the cameras overlooked their back garden.
They also objected to his ‘land-grab’ of the alleyway, which runs behind their home.
Mohammed Alam used an angle grinder to take down the gate erected by Kevin Grogan, 68, which blocked off access to the public alleyway in Rochester, Greater Manchester
Mohammed Alam and his wife Anju (picture with their four-year-old daughter Aya) said Grogan’s ‘intrusive’ cameras overlooked their back garden
Mr Grogan had defied police and the courts after being handed a community protection notice (CPN) which required him to reposition the cameras, which had night-vision, audio recording and barbed wire protection, so they were only trained on his property.
He was also ordered reopen the alleyway.
Mr Grogan denied two charges of failing to comply with the order at a trial at Manchester Magistrates’ Court last month but was found guilty by a district judge.
But when the alleyway remained closed, Mr Alam decided to take matters into his own hands last week by removing the gate.
It prompted police to deploy officers to the scene to prevent further trouble between the neighbours.
Father-of-three Mr Alam, who claims Mr Grogan’s cameras are still trained over his property, said: ‘The trouble started as soon as we moved in and has been going on for more than four years.
‘Mr Grogan made a land-grab when he closed off the alleyway and filled it with rubbish.
‘And his cameras give my family no privacy – they are like Big Brother on steroids.
‘It feels like we are living under occupation.’
In a video showing the alleyway being cleared, Mr Grogan, who’s a blue badge holder, can been standing on high ladders filming Mr Alam as he removes debris.
He also argues with police officers as Mr Alam is seen using an angle grinder to take down the metal gate, accusing them of allowing the ‘illegal’ activity and insisting the ‘adopted’ land is his.
Mr Alam, who claims to have suffered years of bullying, harassment and threats from Mr Grogan, now hopes to ‘get on with his life’ but fears Mr Grogan will refuse to back down.
Kevin Grogan, 68, defied police and the courts after being handed a community protection notice (CPN) which required him to reposition his cameras and remove the gate blocking the alleyway
Police sergeant Richard Garland described Grogan’s CCTV cameras as ‘highly intrusive’ and he later seized them before new ones were erected
The gate (left) erected by Grogan blocked off a public alleyway next to the Alams’ house, which he filled with building debris
Mohammed Alam clears all the building rubbish from the side of his house with the police watching over
In one incident in February 2022, which resulted in Mr Alam being convicted of a public order offence, he claims Mr Grogan threatened him with a machete.
Police have been called by Mr Grogan dozens of times but many of his complaints had ‘not stood up to scrutiny’, it’s claimed.
He was previously convicted in October 2021 for using a trailer to block access to the alleyway and given a six-month conditional discharge.
During his trial, Mr Grogan argued that he had installed the cameras in response to threats and violence from Mr Alam.
Therefore, he claimed, he had a ‘reasonable excuse’ for not complying with the CPN.
And he denied keeping the gate to the alleyway locked, even though he’d installed a padlock and chain.
Grogan argued that he took steps to comply with the order in May 2021 but Mr Alam had reversed his car against him and pinned him against the fence, leaving him needing A&E treatment.
He also claimed he and his wife were attacked by Mr Alam in June 2021.
Giving evidence police sergeant Richard Garland, who visited Mr Grogan’s home, described the CCTV cameras as ‘highly intrusive’ and he later seized them before new ones were erected.
He also told the court he was unable to gain access to the alleyway due to the gate being locked.
But Mr Grogan labelled PS Garland ‘corrupt’ for failing to investigate alleged incidents after the officer said many of Grogan’s complaints to police had ‘not stood up to scrutiny’.
District judge Tom Mitchell found Mr Grogan guilty of two charges of failing to comply with the CPN, saying he found his evidence ‘tailored and evasive’.
He fined him £750 and also handed him a £300 victim surcharge and £330 costs – a total of £1380.
Residents had previously described Grogan as a ‘neighbour from hell’ and a ‘real pest’ and accused him of ‘spying’ on them.
Greater Manchester Police (GMP) were contacted for comment.