Retired builder Gerry Duffy poisons neighbours fish in row over garden pond noise

A pensioner who snapped after months of sleepless nights poisoned his neighbour’s prized fish with motor oil and detergent because he could no longer stand the sound of a garden pond.

Retired builder Gerry Duffy admitted climbing into his neighbour’s backyard and sabotaging the pond after claiming the constant hum of a water pump had “driven him completely insane”.

The court heard that the 76-year-old had repeatedly begged neighbour Andreas Ptohides to switch off the pump, warning him he would “take matters into his own hands” if nothing changed.

When the noise continued, Duffy scaled a fence into the garden, smashed the pond’s pipes and pump then poured motor oil and detergent into the water, killing the fish.

CCTV cameras captured the entire attack.

The incident caused $1170 worth of damage.

Defence lawyer Elliott Stern told the court that his client had been pushed to breaking point after enduring months of sleepless nights.

“The man has been driven completely insane by this noise,” he said.

“He spoke to the complainant several times. They initially said they would stop the water pump but then turned around and said that wasn’t good for the fish.”

The court was told that an environmental health officer investigated but told Duffy that his only options were to move house or keep his window closed.

“Out of sheer frustration and lack of sleep, Mr Duffy lost his mind,” Mr Stern said.

Duffy, from Barnet in north London, pleaded guilty to three counts of criminal damage and one count of unlawfully destroying fish.

He was sentenced to a two-year conditional discharge and ordered to pay his neighbour $1170 compensation.