Helder Demelo has been convicted of racial harassment and putting his neighbours in fear of violence
Helder Demelo made the lives of his neighbours in Banner Street miserable
A nightmare neighbour, accused of making the lives of those living around him miserable over many years, has been convicted of harassment in court. Helder Demelo, 56, of Banner Street in the Wavertree area of Liverpool, was found guilty of harassment (putting people in fear of violence) and racially aggravated harassment earlier this year.
In June he was sentenced to a 16-week jail term suspended for two years at Sefton Magistrates Court. One resident of Banner Street, who the ECHO has agreed not to name for personal reasons, provided a powerful victim impact statement to the courts as Demelo was sentenced for his crimes.
He explained that he had lived in the street for a number of years before Demelo moved in, after which, he said “life on the street changed dramatically.”
He suggested that the crimes Demelo has been convicted of represent “only a small part of the harm he had caused,” adding: “His behaviour has affected the entire community over many years.”
He accused his neighbour of being “aggressive, disruptive and abusive.” He added: “He frequently shouts in the street, often during the night, and has provoked and intimidated neighbours without warning.
“I have witnessed him fighting on the doorstep and screaming outside my home. This conduct is not occasional or spontaneous; it has been sustained and relentless.”
He told the court how he had been targeted with racist remarks, explaining that he had previously experienced racial abuse as a child. His statement added: “To now be targeted in my own neighbourhood is retraumatising and painful. It has brought back memories I believed I had moved beyond.” Others in Banner Street told the ECHO they too had struggled with the behaviour of Demelo.
Speaking about what he considers failings in the housing of Demelo, the victim who provided the statement to court said: “He should never have been placed in independent housing without proper support or supervision. In that regard, he has been failed. But so have we, the people who live beside him and suffer the consequences.”
He accused Your Housing Group (YHG), who own the house in which Demelo lives, of “failing to act decisively” despite years of complaints and repeated incidents. In response, YHG said they have been working on this case for a number of years – adding that following the criminal convictions earlier this year, they have restarted legal proceedings against the tenant. He also claimed local agencies and his local MP did not help the residents when they needed it.
A spokesperson for Your Housing Group said: “Ensuring people are safe in their homes is our priority. We have a dedicated team who deal with instances of anti-social behaviour, and they work closely with the police, local authorities and other agencies to manage cases such as this one.
“This is a case that we have been working on for a number of years, having previously begun legal proceedings back in 2018. Those proceedings were eventually dropped at the request of the original complainant. This year, following a criminal conviction, we have restarted legal proceedings and we are hopeful of securing a positive outcome in the near future.”
Paula Barker, MP for Liverpool Wavertree claimed she had only been contacted about the issues in Banner Street in July 2024. She told the ECHO: “Firstly, I would like to say I am deeply concerned by what the residents have faced. No one should be made to feel unsafe or suffer any form of abuse in their own home or neighbourhood.
“My office was first contacted about this matter by (the resident) in July 2024, since then my office has consistently made strong representations to the statutory services who hold responsibility for dealing with this situation.”
The ECHO reached out to Demelo this week and received a lengthy email in response, in which he claimed that he has been the victim of “malicious and false accusations.”
He said: “Let me be absolutely clear: I am not a racist, nor am I a bad person.” He said the situation has caused him “immense emotional pain and suffering.”
