A NEIGHBOUR from hell has been banned from wearing a balaclava for the next ten years after he failed in his attempts to have his strict antisocial behaviour order reduced.

Music teacher Dominic McGrath, 58, was hit with the ten-year order in April after terrorising neighbours in his street of Melville Drive, Wickford, with anything from threatening them with a baseball bat to singing theme tunes.

McGrath had appealed to have it shortened and to have certain restrictions lifted, such as a condition which banned him from parking in his own street.

But the judge at Basildon Crown Court rejected most of his application, and after hearing about McGrath's antics, decided to add yet another condition to his order which bans him from wearing a balaclava in his street of Melville Drive, Wickford.

McGrath had been placed on the "unusual" order in April after being found guilty of harassing his neighbours on hundreds of occasions.

His antics included singing songs, such as Who Let the Dogs Out, to certain neighbours; waving toilet rolls at residents as they left their homes; threatening one neighbour with a baseball bat; walking around in combat gear with and even buying a second car to park on the street to annoy others.

Under the original Asbo, McGrath was banned from communicating with his neighbours, singing or humming derisory tunes to them, making unnecessary noise and displaying toilet rolls.

Lorraine Webb, prosecuting, explained the order had been tailor-made to curb McGrath's behaviour.

She argued while the conditions he wanted removed seemed insignificant, they were part of his system of harassment.

Miss Webb said: "It sounds of course inconsequential.

"However, over a period of time it upset the ladies so much they were thinking of leaving the neighbourhood they had enjoyed for many years.

"If Mr McGrath thought a course of action was legal but annoying to his neighbours, he would pursue it."

Lugard Hurlock, defending McGrath, said the Asbo was too long.

"It's certainly one of the longest Asbos I've ever heard of. I think the Asbo should be much less in length."

Mr Hurlock said it infringed on McGrath's liberties.

In a win for McGrath, the judge agreed he should be allowed to park on the street immediately opposite his home, but nowhere else in Melville Drive.

Recorder John Caudle said the length of the Asbo should not be a problem if McGrath has changed his ways. He said: "We would like to add in that he shouldn't wear a balaclava and combat gear because it might frighten the children."

McGrath's Asbo began on Friday and will continue until June 15, 2017.

He had originally been handed a six-month suspended sentence, 150 hours of community service and was ordered to pay £1,600 costs, which still stands.