A woman involved in a bitter neighbourhood dispute spanning more than a decade has been handed a fresh restraining order after a court found she deliberately disrupted her neighbours’ garden gathering by leaving a lawnmower running for around an hour.
The latest ruling follows years of hostility between Zoi Hayes and Peter and Corrine Rotherham, whose feud became widely known in the Wiltshire village of Urchfont.
Magistrates ordered Hayes not to contact the couple or visit their home after she admitted harassing them in breach of an earlier restraining order.
In addition to the two-year order, Hayes was fined £348 and instructed to pay a £139 victim surcharge and £85 in court costs.
Garden Celebration Interrupted by Persistent Noise
The incident occurred on the evening of July 19, 2025, when the Rotherhams invited six friends to a summer tapas dinner in their garden.
According to prosecutors, Hayes positioned her lawnmower close to the boundary fence before leaving the engine running continuously.
The prolonged noise disrupted the gathering, prompting several guests to approach her property and ask that the machine be switched off.
Footage secretly recorded by those attending the party was later submitted as evidence during the police investigation.
Hayes admitted that her actions amounted to harassment and violated the conditions of a restraining order already in place.
A Dispute That Has Lasted for More Than a Decade
Relations between the neighbours have reportedly been strained ever since the Rotherhams moved into their bungalow in 2011.
Hayes and her late husband had been living next door since 2003, but what began as neighbourly disagreements gradually escalated into repeated legal action.
The village, known for winning Best Kept Village awards in both 2024 and 2025, became an unlikely backdrop for one of its most talked-about neighbourhood conflicts.
Previous Court Action Failed to End the Conflict
This is not the first time Hayes has faced legal sanctions over her behaviour.
In 2021, she received a five-year restraining order after being convicted of criminal damage involving a single sweet pea flower belonging to Mrs. Rotherham.
That order remained in force even after Hayes later received a suspended prison sentence for breaching its conditions shortly after it was imposed.
Prosecutors argued that the lawnmower incident represented another clear violation of the court’s restrictions.
Prosecution Describes Deliberate Attempt to Distress Neighbours
During the hearing at Salisbury Magistrates’ Court, prosecutor Robert Salamé outlined the long history of conflict between the two households.
He told magistrates that Hayes intentionally left the mower running beside the shared fence in order to irritate Mrs. Rotherham and spoil the evening gathering.
Following complaints from the guests, the incident was reported to police because Hayes remained subject to court-ordered restrictions preventing harassment of the couple.
The prosecution also referred to further alleged encounters after Hayes began moving away from the village, including remarks directed at Mrs. Rotherham and an unexpected meeting with Mr. Rotherham while he was shopping, which reportedly left him feeling unsettled.
Couple Say They Continue to Fear Future Contact
In a victim impact statement presented to the court, Mrs. Rotherham described the emotional toll the prolonged dispute had taken on both her and her husband.
She expressed concern that Hayes had never accepted responsibility for her behaviour and feared she could eventually return to the area.
Mrs. Rotherham said she had been told Hayes had revisited the village several times after relocating to collect belongings, adding to her anxiety that the dispute was not truly over.
Hayes Apologises but Says the Conflict Has Two Sides
Representing herself in court, Hayes apologised for the lawnmower incident and acknowledged that her actions had been wrong.
She argued, however, that the confrontation was part of a long-running personality clash stretching back roughly 16 years and claimed her previous convictions did not fully reflect the circumstances surrounding the dispute.
Hayes also told the court she had been dealing with mental health difficulties at the time of the incident, describing it as a particularly challenging period in her life.
Magistrates Cite Previous Convictions
After hearing submissions from both sides, the magistrates accepted Hayes had shown remorse but concluded that her previous convictions made further legal action necessary.
Chairman Timothy Watts said the court had carefully considered both the prosecution’s evidence and Hayes’ explanation before deciding that a financial penalty and a new two-year restraining order were appropriate.
The order prohibits Hayes from contacting Peter or Corrine Rotherham or attending their home.
Strong Feelings Remain Despite Court Decision
Following the hearing, Hayes maintained that there were “two sides to every story” and accused Mrs. Rotherham of misrepresenting events throughout the dispute.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Rotherham has previously described the years spent living beside Hayes as deeply distressing, alleging repeated acts of intimidation that ranged from peering through gaps cut into boundary hedges to throwing dead moles into their garden and creating loud disturbances early in the morning.
She said the couple frequently changed where they sat in their own garden and even altered their daily routines in an effort to avoid further confrontation.
Although Hayes has now moved away from Urchfont, the latest restraining order represents the court’s latest attempt to ensure the long-running neighbourhood feud finally comes to an end
