Narborough man Steven Braddick sentenced in King’s Lynn court after calling neighbour’s friend a paedophile

A man who accused his neighbour’s friend of being a paedophile has “poor consequential thinking”, a court has heard.

Steven Braddick, 39, of Mitchell’s Way in Narborough, was sentenced at Lynn Magistrates’ Court on Thursday, having previously admitted using threatening or abusive behaviour to cause alarm or distress.

He originally denied the offence, which he committed on August 7 last year, but pleaded guilty at a later date. He also admitted failing to comply with a community protection order.

The court heard that while Braddick was living at a previous address, he took offence at a man his neighbour invited around to help them with household work.

He approached the man and called him a paedophile, before starting to record a video of him while repeating the accusations.

Braddick then posted this footage on social media.

His actions meant he had breached a community protection order which stated he must not cause “nuisance, disorder or annoyance” in the area.

Prosecutors told the court that Braddick had ten previous criminal convictions, and asked for a restraining order to be put in place protecting both the former neighbour and the falsely accused man.

However, in mitigation, solicitor Matt Diss argued that Braddick’s most recent offences were committed in 2005 - and told the court he has now moved some distance away from the victims.

He admitted the defendant has “poor consequential thinking”, and that he was unsure who the neighbour’s visitor was at the time.

“He did not know if they had been looking into neighbours’ houses or a nearby school, and what their intentions may have been,” Mr Diss said.

He added that the man’s sunglasses and baseball cap added to Braddick’s suspicions.

The defendant has moved away from the area due to it being a “very toxic neighbourhood”, Mr Diss added. The solicitor therefore argued that a restraining order would not be proportionate.

Magistrates agreed and did not impose one, although they did hand Braddick a 12-month community order.

This will require him to complete a year-long mental health treatment programme.

Braddick will also pay a £100 fine, £114 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.