Gordon Clarke, 49, intimidated and threatened locals near his West Sussex home, branding them paedophiles and taking pictures of his victims.

His daughter Stacey joined in the abuse after Clarke ignored warnings from the police and local council for more than two decades, the Old Bailey heard.

He broke a series of restraining orders before he was given an ASBO in 2001.

Clarke ignored it so the courts passed another five years later which he also disregarded.

He has already served two prison sentences - first for 70 days in 1998 for harassment and then another 30 days in 2001 for breaking a restraining order.

Clarke is also in breach of a suspended sentenced passed by Lewes Magistrates two years ago for breaching an ASBO.

The father of five, who keeps up to 12 dogs in his garden, was convicted by the Old Bailey jury of breaching yet another ABSO relating to a confrontation with his neighbours in the local car park in Black Dog Walk, Crawley, in February last year.

They failed to reach a verdict on a second charge and were discharged by the judge Paul Focke QC.

Speaking at his trial in September, his barrister Mr Tony Stanford said: 'He knows a custodial sentence is the most likey outcome.'

But Mr Stanford said there were 'matters in Mr Clarkes's early life' that could affect the sentence and the judge agreed to adjourn the case for reports.

The jury had battled for 17 hours and 17 minutes to reach verdicts before announcing they were hoplessly deadlocked on the second charge.

In that allegation Clarke told the widow of a police officer he would be dancing on her late husband's grave.

During the week-long trial neighbour John Ferreria told how he had to install seven cameras around his home because of the problems with the Clarke family.

He said: 'At the beginning I believed it was a nice family but when the nice neighbours told us about them we had a meeting and decided to install cameras to protect the people and children.

'Since then it is awful. They cause my family a lot of stress and sickness. My eldest daughter left because of it.'

Clarke's next-door neighbour Graham Sanger told jurors: 'We have the swearing and the screaming every day almost. Even last night at 11pm there was swearing outside the house.

'You cannot enjoy the quality of life, going into the garden is a no-no. They have got 12 dogs because they breed them, the barking is almost continual. You can't sleep before midnight.

'But it appears the council are scared of them.'

Resident Barbara Denyer, whose late husband Douglas was a police officer, told the court how she was put in fear by Clarke's constant abuse.

She said: 'The fact is we have had nothing but trouble. We just wanted it settled so we could have a bit of peace and quiet.

We get so much of it you are just afraid to go out. The intimidation goes on all the time.'

Mrs Denyer, 84, told how on August 25, 2006, three weeks after he was put under the latest ASBO, Clarke could be heard shouting abuse during a conversation with a friend in the car park.

'You could hear him saying terrible things in relation to my late husband. ''Ex copper's wife, the only good copper is a dead copper. I will find out where his grave is and I will go and dance on it.''

'I was afraid he might find it. I was very upset.'

Clarke said of Mr Ferreria: 'As far as I'm concerned he's a paedophile and I will put it on the net.

'He is a paedophile and his son will never play football in Crawley again.'

The jury were unable to agree on whether this amounted to a breach of his ASBO but convicted him in relation to another incident on February 18, 2007.

On that day Mrs Denyer was helping neighbour Ray Cole and his disabled wife move their car to the disabled space.

Gordon Clarke's daughter then came out and started taking pictures of the group, the court heard.

Mrs Denyer said: 'This happens so often. The daughter was swearing at us. Then her father came out and was very abusive.

'He said ''There is no point in talking to these idiots, they're not worth it.'' He grabbed hold of the camera and said: ''I want to take a group photo.''

'I felt extremely harassed by him continuing this behaviour.'

Her daughter Alison Denyer, 43, died before Clarke, 49 came to trial and a statement she made was read to the jury.

Ms Denyer, who was registered disabled with a severe form of rheumatoid arthritis, added: 'This has been going on for so many years and it really needs to be sorted out.'

She confirmed she had been abused by Clarke's daughter Stacey in the car park of Black Dog Walk, Crawley, West Sussex.

Ms Denyer said: 'She said: ''You sad gits. I'm not worried about you two. You are going to die soon.''

'She then took several photos of the car and added ''Two bitches.'' I then saw Gordon Clarke walk up towards me.

'He snatched the camera from his daughter and started taking pictures. We were all walking off and Gordon Clarke said to all of us ''Let's have a group photo.''

'I felt very intimidated and harassed by Gordon and Stacey.'

Gordon Clarke denied breaking a five-year ASBO made on August 4, 2006, banning him from abusing his neighbours.

He claimed his comments in August 2006 were made in a private conversation between him and a friend and were also not on the day alleged.

The father also insisted he had been trying to stop his daughter confronting the Denyers rather than abuse them.

Prosecutors elected not to retry Clarke on the second charge because Ms Denyer said she could not face the ordeal again.