‘Big Brother’ nightmare neighbour forced couple out of their home with spy cameras and poison pen campaign
A NIGHTMARE neighbour was nicknamed “Big Brother” after forcing a couple out of their home with spy cameras and a smear campaign.
Matthew Kenyon, 36, delved into the work and private lives of businessman Carey and wife Rachel Styles, who lived next door.
He installed CCTV cameras to keep surveillance on the couple after they fell out over his BMW being damaged in a weather accident.
While living side-by-side in the ironically named Pleasant Street in Widnes, Cheshire, Kenyon became so ”fixated” with the Styles, he wrote a series of poison pen emails – notes containing abusive and malicious statements.
Kenyon’s campaign against the couple also included complaints on an almost daily basis.
Over a 10-month period, he sent letters to a Roman Catholic primary school where Mrs Styles was a teaching assistant to claim she and her husband mixed with ”prolific cocaine users”.
Mr Styles, who runs a construction firm, was also reported to his local council and to police after Kenyon discovered he was unwittingly employing a convicted rapist as one of his labourers.
He even researched the background of visitors to their home in a bid to force them out of their £200,000 rented property.
In one of a series of emails to the headmistress at Mrs Styles school, Kenyon said of her friendship with another couple: ”It revolves around snorting cocaine and hosting parties all the hours.
”As Mrs Rachel Styles is employed as a teaching assistant, she’s responsible for children in her care. How responsible can she be for those children if she is off her head on drink and drugs?
“She even went out until 4am on the day after the Queen had passed away.”
Kenyon further claimed Mr Styles had been convicted of criminal damage, driving at a pedestrian, intimidation and other ”behaviours” which he said were ”encouraged by his wife.”
One ranting email running eight A4 pages long – and which copied in police, the local council and Ofsted – read: “I am a bulldog with a wasp in my mouth and I never once back down.
“I know this will go back to them, but I do not care. Mr Carey Styles and Mrs Rachel Styles both need to be drug tested. I will say until I am blue in the face.
“I do not want a convicted rapist visiting next door neither do residents.
“This scumbag has overstayed his welcome in Widnes. They need to pack their bags.
“I suggest that the police get in touch with me with regards to the police complaint as I will be contacting them one last time today. Enough is enough.”
Mrs Styles, who suffers from cancer, was subjected to two official safeguarding investigations following Kenyon’s allegations.
This scumbag has overstayed his welcome in Widnes. They need to pack their bags.
Matthew Kenyon
She kept her job after officials found no evidence of wrongdoing.
Her husband sacked workman convicted of rape when told about his background – but he was still forced to pull out of a £3,500 renovation project offered to him by the school.
The couple eventually moved out of their property in October last year.
When quizzed by police, Kenyon was found to have spreadsheets documenting his neighbours’ activity and he further claimed to have seen the Styles buy drugs from a barman.
Have your own nightmare neighbour story? Contact leonard.owen@the-sun.co.uk
It emerged he had even put a letter through the Styles’ door saying he had reported them to the DVLA as the MOT of one of their vehicles was out of date.
He was also banned from contacting the victims for five years under the terms of a restraining order. He denied wrongdoing.
The message added: “It is not legal to be driven on the highway. You are not above the law.”
At Warrington Magistrates Court, Kenyon was convicted of stalking and ordered to pay the couple £1,500 in damages.
HOW THE FEUD FIRED UP
The court heard Mr and Mrs Styles moved into their property in 2017 but fell out with their neighbour when a gust of wind blew their van door against the bodywork of Kenyon’s BMW.
They began feuding about the cost of repairs and Mr Styles was reported to police after he was repeatedly caught on Kenyon’s CCTV hurling abuse – and on one occasion spraying the BMW with bleach.
In 2022, Mr Styles was convicted of harassment and fined £160.
But Kenyon then kick-started his campaign against Mr and Mrs Styles in a spiteful attempt to have them moved on.
VICTIM STATEMENTS
In a victim statement, Mrs Styles said: ”I was undergoing cancer treatment and this only added to the stress and anxiety I’ve suffered.
“I have been medicated for depression and I have had counselling to try to manage this due to how low I felt when he campaigned against me.
“I experienced low self-esteem and at one stage I told my counsellor it would be better if I was not here anymore.
“I have a very supportive husband but this put a huge strain on our relationship.
“Along with being paranoid I have been unable to sleep at night due to the fear that there will be further issues and Matthew is still watching the address.
”At work I am also paranoid that my colleagues are talking about me and I panic when the manager wants to speak to me.
What are your rights with nightmare neighbours?
As with most advice over rows, you’re advised to try and discuss the situation with your neighbour as a first attempt at resolution if the issue is related to noise or discomfort.
If that option is either unsafe or it fails, you can report them to the council, Citizens Advice says.
It’s of course a different ballgame if they have broken the law, however.
If they’ve been violent or threatening, call the cops on 999 if the crime is continuing or 101 to report it later.
It’s advised residents keep records, with as many details as possible – dates, times and what happened.
When reporting a problem to either the council or police, it’s important to tell them:
- how often it happens
- how it’s affecting you
- what you’ve done to try and solve it
- who else you’ve reported it to
If you’re unhappy with the council response, use their complaints process.
And if the issue still isn’t taken seriously:
To complain about a housing association, go to the Housing Ombudsman.
To complain about the council, go to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.
“Before I go to bed I find I have to check outside to make sure Matthew is not standing outside my house watching me.
“I feel vulnerable and have lost my confidence.”
Mr Styles made his own statement saying he too suffered anxiety and depression due to the “constant surveillance”.
He said they were ultimately left with no option but to move out to escape the surveillance struggle.
KENYON’S RESPONSE
Meanwhile, Kenyon denied deliberately pointing his CCTV cameras at the Styles’ property – instead arguing he was advised by the council and police to compile a log of incidents following Mr Styles’ harassment conviction.
His lawyer Vic Wozny said: ”Since the Styles moved, there has not been a peep about anything being done wrong by my client.
“There has never been any complaints about other neighbours or complaints from them about him.
“The court can be satisfied that this man would cause no trouble to anybody else in the future.”
But in sentencing remarks, Judge Christine Pugh told Kenyon: “You cannot contact them by any means whatsoever.
“If you see them accidentally, cross the road. If you breach this you will find yourself back before the court.”