A Neighbourhood Watch official has been handed a restraining order following a bitter row with his neighbours over a garden gate . Married couple John and Karen Copleston claim Paul Phillips , 67 , 'constantly harassed ' them over a petty dispute after they moved a gate at the back of their £210,000 house in Poole , Dorset . Retired Mr Phillips , the treasurer of the local Neighbourhood Watch scheme , accused the Coplestons of putting the garden gate up on communal land and took the matter to council planners . Scroll down for video . Married couple John and Karen Copleston said neighbour Paul Phillips , 67 , had constantly harassed them over a petty dispute after they moved a gate at the back of their £210,000 house in Poole , Dorset . When the couple challenged him they say claim embarked on a campaign of misery that forced the Coplestons to install CCTV cameras to catch him in action . The covert footage caught Mr Phillips fiddling with the gate 's lock , waving and smiling at the camera and repeatedly setting off a motion sensor . But on Friday the case against Mr Phillips was dismissed , although a three-year restraining order was imposed on him under the Protection from Harassment Act by magistrates in Bournemouth . The long-running dispute between the neighbours began three years ago and a year ago the row became centred on the gate at the end of a shared passage both houses back on to . Karen and John Copleston ( pictured ) outside their property - Mr Phillips ' home is on the far right . The gate in question : Mr Phillips accused the Coplestons of putting the garden gate up on his land . The Coplestons claim the gate has been at the end of the shared path since they bought the property in 1987 . After taking advice from police they moved the gate to halfway down the path where it provides access onto their property - but is also directly next to Mr Phillips garden gate . Mr Phillips , a former Poole council employee , argued the gate should not be there at all as it is in the shared easement . He said the previous gate had been a hazard as it was rusty and did not allow enough room for his wife 's invalid buggy . Caught : Paul Phillips , 67 , was captured on a covert camera as he repeatedly set off a motion sensor at night . Banned : Phillips was also seen smiling and waving at the camera as he embarked on a campaign of terror . Row : The long-running dispute between the neighbours began three years ago and a year ago the row became centred on the gate at the end of a shared passage both houses back on to . The Coplestons said he continued to complain and would stand outside the gate early in the morning and late at night . They said Mr Phillips even installed his own CCTV cameras on his property which he would use to watch them on a monitor in his bedroom . Mrs Copleston , 49 , said : 'All I want to know is why ? 'Why did he start this ? Why did this happen to us ? I do n't understand why and that 's what 's very hard for me . ' Mr Copleston , 53 , added : 'It started off with something petty and it just got bigger and bigger . 'Luckily , our little camera picked up enough that we could take this to court . ' I do n't use computers much myself , so it was always Karen by herself when she saw the footage of him at the gate . 'It 's been frightening and very stressful for her and it 's had a real effect on her health . ' Prosecutor Timothy Sullivan said : 'The proceedings arose out of a long-running acrimonious dispute between neighbours . 'The prosecution says relations broke down as a result of the defendant 's anti-social behaviour . 'The victim said she felt like a prisoner in her own home . ' The Coplestons pictured with their gate - Mr Phillips ' gate and garden are on the left . Pathway : Mr Phillips argued the gate ( pictured ) should not be there at all as it is in the shared easement . Speaking after the case , Mr Phillips said : 'Myself and my wife are now in the process of selling our home because of this dispute . 'It has been horrific for us . I 'm delighted at this result - I could n't stand another day worrying , 'What 's going to happen next ? ' I have been a law abiding citizen all my life and have no criminal convictions and have not been in any trouble with the police until this stupid charge was brought up . 'My wife Enid and I have already moved out of our home and into sheltered accommodation to escape the aggression we encountered regularly . ' Neighbours : This aerial view shows the neighbouring houses in dispute at Nightjar Close in Poole , Dorset .
Neighbourhood Watch treasurer has been handed three-year restraining order banning him from contacting neighbours following row over gate . Paul Phillips said John and Karen Copleston moved gate on to his land . But they claim he harassed them over the dispute which ended up in court . Case against Mr Phillips was dismissed but restraining order was imposed .