East Lothian crime: William Main from Dunbar banned from contacting neighbours after campaign of abuse

Dunbar man harassed neighbours by setting off fireworks and firing air rifle towards garden

A funeral director who carried out a 10-year campaign of abuse against his neighbours has been banned from contacting them for 12 years. William Main harassed two sets of neighbours by setting off fireworks, shining a torch into their home and firing an air rifle towards their garden in Dunbar, East Lothian.

The 63-year-old also deliberately used power tools in his home despite knowing neighbour Linda Thomson was on a nightshift and made false reports to the police about their conduct, a court heard. Mrs Thomson and husband Derek said they were forced to move away from their “beautiful” home following Main’s behaviour towards them which took place on “a daily basis”.

Main also turned his attention to new neighbours Jone Matteucci and Rebecca Weightman by lighting fires in his garden and following them in his car. He denied the abuse allegations but was found guilty following a two day trial at Edinburgh Sheriff Court in December.

William Main outside Edinburgh Sheriff Court

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The funeral business owner returned to the dock on Thursday, February 16, where Sheriff Roderick Flynn said his behaviour had “an emotional and psychological impact” on his neighbours. The sheriff said: “I was entirely satisfied to the credibility and reliability of the four Crown witnesses. In this case I am satisfied there is an alternative to imprisonment. Your conduct was planned and deliberate and had an emotional and psychological impact on the complainers.”

Main was ordered to carry out 280 hours of unpaid work and handed a non-harassment order banning him from having any contact with both couples for the next 12 years.

The trial heard from Main’s neighbour Linda Thomson who said she and her husband Derek were forced to move home after being harassed between 2010 and 2017. Mrs Thomson, 58, said the funeral director shot a firearm across their garden while they were relaxing outside and would regularly shine a torch into their home while out walking his dog. Main also used power tools through the day knowing Mrs Thomson was working nightshift and she said the day before they moved away Main had organised “a major fireworks display” in his garden.

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Mrs Thomson said when they complained to Main about his behaviour he reported them to the police and local council over bogus noise complaints. Derek Thomson, 63, told the court he was harassed by Main on “a daily basis” and was forced to charge his route home on four occasions in a bid to stop Main from approaching him.

He said: “The intent was to make me nervous and unfortunately it worked. He was always there, always watching me.” Mr Thomson said it “proved impossible” to avoid meeting Main and the situation was proving “very stressful”. The couple said they were forced to move from their “beautiful” home in 2017 following the seven years of harassment from their neighbour.

Main was found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct which caused Derek and Linda Thomson fear and alarm between December 13, 2010 and July 14, 2017. He was also found guilty of engaging in a course of conduct which caused Jone Matteucci and Rebecca Weightman fear and alarm between July 14, 2017 and March 31, 2020.

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