A disabled pensioner has finally seen his neighbour evicted after enduring five years of terror sparked by the installation of a Ring doorbell.
Steven Persaud, 65, who uses a wheelchair, became the target of a relentless campaign of abuse from Stephen Groves, 59, at their Birmingham council properties.
The harassment began in 2020 when Persaud’s niece installed the smart doorbell to monitor her vulnerable uncle.
Groves claimed the device violated his human rights and was “spying” on his bungalow, triggering what would become years of escalating antisocial behaviour.
A disabled pensioner has finally seen his neighbour evicted after enduring five years of terror sparked by the installation of a Ring doorbell
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Footage captured Groves wielding a claw hammer, making rude gestures and screaming vile threats at Persaud and his carers.
He was recorded telling one carer he would “chop her up and put her in the bin”.
In bizarre incidents, Groves attempted to sabotage the doorbell camera with a hammer, broom and marker pen.
He was also filmed removing hinges from a shared gate, which nearly fell on him.
Other disturbing behaviour included spitting on the camera, blaring loud music at night, and playing Guns and Roses’ “Welcome To The Jungle” at full volume.
The harassment campaign resulted in 25 court hearings and repeated police callouts over the five-year period.
Despite a 24-month restraining order and electronic curfew, Groves continued his reign of terror.
His behaviour had severe consequences for Persaud’s care team.
One carer quit her job due to fear, while others were forced to wait in their cars until Groves disappeared.
“He locked carers out, bolted gates shut and screamed through the windows in the early hours. He was a danger to everyone,” said Victoria Rascinskis, Persaud’s niece told The Daily Mail.
In one chilling incident, Groves hammered Persaud’s windows at 1am while blaring music.
Groves, a convicted criminal who previously served time for wounding with intent, exploited every loophole to remain in his council property.
“He completely played the system. Claimed human rights, claimed he lacked capacity,” Rascinskis explained.
In 2022, he admitted three harassment charges at Birmingham Magistrates Court against Persaud and two carers.
He was ordered to pay £100 compensation to each victim and was arrested again in 2023 on suspicion of the same charges.
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Rascinskis described a frustrating cycle of authorities failing to take responsibility for her uncle’s safety.
“The council would tell us it’s a police matter. The police would say it’s a council matter,” she said.
She was repeatedly told to file more reports, with the process becoming “a running joke”.
Even when an injunction with power of arrest was in place, police often wouldn’t respond to incidents.
“The police wouldn’t come. Again and again, they told us it wasn’t a priority,” Rascinskis said.
Groves was finally evicted this month from his one-bed bungalow in Birmingham’s Shard End area.
The harassment began in 2020 when Persaud’s niece installed the smart doorbell to monitor her vulnerable uncle
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Despite the eviction, Rascinskis remains anxious.
“It doesn’t even feel real that’s he’s gone. I still panic. I’m scared he’ll come back,” she said.
A Birmingham City Council spokesperson confirmed Groves had been evicted “due to breaches of the tenancy agreement”.
“We can assure him that any new tenant will have to comply with our tenancy conditions and our improved anti-social behaviour policy that we have introduced,” the spokesperson said.
They added: “No tenant should have to tolerate anti-social behaviour and we will use the appropriate tools and powers available to us to address it.”
