A window cleaner from Letchworth has admitted threatening his neighbour after she called the police about his loud music.

Kevin Warwick told neighbour Janine O’Brien she would need to ‘get out of Letchworth’ two weeks after she complained he played music so loudly the walls were shaking next door to her Ordelmere home.

Ms O’Brien had complained about the noise in December but the 44-year-old made the threat two weeks later when the pair bumped into one another outside a chicken shop.

At Stevenage Magistrates’ Court on Tuesday, Warwick changed his plea to guilty and admitted saying: “You better get out of Letchworth – you know what happens to grasses.”

Prosecutor Victoria Forbes told the court that Ms O’Brien had heard Warwick threaten to burn her house down, a claim supported by her father and friend who were present.

Defending, James Hennessey read out a statement made by Warwick which said he would not have threatened to burn his neighbour’s house down as he lives next door. He said: “I would not threaten to burn my own house down, but I do accept I said you better get out of Letchworth.”

Warwick also said they were speaking across the road from each other during the argument, which was going backwards and forwards between the two of them.

Mr Hennessey said the case was one of people “living cheek by jowl and just not getting on.”

Magistrate Brian Deal sentenced Warwick to an 18-month community order, up to 30 sessions on a general offender behaviour programme, and 60 hours unpaid work, as well as a fine of £145.

He was also handed an 18–month restraining order against Ms O’Brien, with the condition that he does not contact her or her father, and is not allowed to walk past her front door.