A 62-year-old man has avoided jail after he spent three months harassing two men at a retirement home because of their sexual orientation. 

Colin Sampson was handed a 10 week suspended sentence at Thames Magistrates Court on Monday (July 13) after he admitted harassing two of his neighbours at The Chantry in The Ridgeway, Chingford, between September and December 2014. 

Over that period, victim's Lawrence Jackson and Roger Endacott sustained homophobic abuse on several occasions and had a homophobic notice put on their doors. 

Samspon, who now lives in Alpha Road, Chingford, initially denied the offences but pleaded guilty to two counts of harassment without violence at the start of his trial on June 16 at Stratford Magistrates Court.

Hate crime lead for the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) and deputy chief crown prosecutor, Gerallt Evans, said: "Sampson used homophobic and abusive language towards the two victims in this case leaving them feeling distressed, scared and threatened.

"It was clear that his motivation for the harassment was hostility towards the victims’ sexual orientation and we were able to present our case to the court as a homophobic hate crime allowing the judge to use his statutory powers to apply a significant increase in the sentence.

"Tackling hate crime is a key priority for CPS London and we are committed to securing justice for victims and supporting them through the prosecution process."

Sampson was given a 12 month supervision order, an eight week curfew from 8pm to 6pm and a two-year restraining order against the victims. 

He was ordered to pay a £200 fine, £85 court costs and a £80 victim surcharge.  

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

The Chantry is a retirement and sheltered accomodation home managed by Ascham Homes in Chingford