Man harassed vicar because he was 'fed up with sound of church bells ringing'

A man has admitted harassing a vicar because he was fed up with the sound of the church bells ringing. Gary Bizley, 45, also threatened to "do some damage to the church" and challenged groups of bellringers.

Prosecutor Mr Ballinger said Bizley's harassment of the Vicar of St Mary's Church in Lydiard Park in Wiltshire went on for four months from April 14 to August 16. It began while the Vicar was on holiday in April and returned home to find several voicemails left on his landline from Bizley "being abusive about the bells" and saying phrases like "your f***ing bells."

During his police interview, Bizley told officers he was glad his actions were causing the vicar distress - but did not mean to alarm him and had found his number on Google. Bizley explained to officers that he had lived in the area for seven years and had not been able to hear the bells until recently.

He said the noise stopped him from reading his books - so he wanted the vicar to explain why they were suddenly louder. In mitigation, Mr Williams, defending, admitted the case was "a bit strange".

Bizley who suffered from mental health problems and insomnia meant he would have to catch up on sleep when he had the chance and "for some reason, he was highly annoyed by the bells." Mr Williams added that Bizley - who hopes to move out of Swindon soon - knew he needed to be a "bit more tolerant in the future" and realised he could no longer contact the Vicar or anyone else in relation to bell ringing.

Bizley, of Longstock Court, Eastleaze, Swindon, pleaded guilty to harassment without violence at Swindon Magistrates Court on November 5. The magistrate told him: "People do get annoyed about things that happen close to them and that's fine, but you've gone too far. Clearly you need to behave in a different way in the future and you have obviously learned your lesson."

Bizley was fined £80 and ordered to pay a £32 surcharge with £85 prosecution costs totalling £197. The judge also issued Bizley a one-year restraining order against the Vicar and he will not be allowed back into St Mary's Church during that time to "give everyone a bit of breathing space."