Former Waitaki District Council candidate harassed, photographed neighbours

Gervais O’Reilly was a 2021 candidate for the Waitaki District Council. Photo / Allied Press

A former Waitaki District Council candidate harassed his neighbours for several years, spending more than $8000 to pester the pair, a court has heard.

On November 20, 2018, Gervais Michael Dominic O’Reilly, 59, was served with a criminal harassment warning letter after making numerous fruitless complaints to the Waitaki District Council about his neighbours’ living arrangements.

The letter addressed his neighbours’ concerns, as they wished him to stop taking pictures of them and antagonising their dog.

O’Reilly was a 2021 candidate for the Waitaki District Council, but gained only 223 votes in the Waihemo ward — more than 400 fewer than the eventual winner.

He was undeterred by the criminal harassment notice and continued watching and recording his neighbours’ movements.

The dispute began in March 2018, when the complainants bought a 10.5ha block of land that backed on to the defendant’s property.

The female neighbour noticed O’Reilly had been photographing her and, fearing for her safety, she asked him to stop.

O’Reilly continued taking pictures and repeatedly called Noise Control, complaining about the couple’s generator.

No action was taken by the council.

In August 2019, the defendant filed an action in the Environment Court, seeking enforcement orders in relation to the construction and use of an existing shed on his neighbours’ property, of which the council was also a respondent.

He was unsuccessful and, in 2021, he was ordered to pay costs of $219 to his neighbours and $7831 to the council.

“Every time there has been an application made by him, it has been refused and rejected,” Judge Kevin Phillips said.

On March 4, 2021, police searched O’Reilly’s home and seized 13 electronic devices.

Numerous images were recovered and a small number of them were of the complainants.

The defendant’s obsession came at a significant cost, but he maintained his innocence until late this year, pleading guilty to the charge of criminal harassment only after a trial date was set.

Lawyer John Farrow said O’Reilly was “genuinely contrite” and “wants to move on and put this unhappy chapter of his life behind him”.

O’Reilly was convicted of harassment, received a deferred sentence of 12 months and was ordered to pay $2000 to the victims for the emotional harm he caused.

Judge Phillips encouraged the man to seek reconciliation with his neighbours.

“You both live in a small area of New Zealand, in close quarters.

“You need to talk, at least ... People should be able to live their lives freely and enjoy their property,” he said.