A MAN breached a court order so that he could visit a shrine to his dead mother.

Richard Gant, of Smithy Lane in Skelmanthorpe, appeared before Huddersfield magistrates yesterday.

The bench was told that the 49-year-old had breached an anti-social behaviour order imposed by the court earlier this year.

Carole Lawford, prosecuting, said that the two-year order was made because of ongoing problems with his next door neighbour when he was living at Sunnymead in Scissett.

Gant had been playing very loud music and was made subject to a Kirklees Council noise abatement order, which saw his stereo removed.

He blamed his neighbour for this and shouted verbal abuse through his walls in the early hours of the morning.

On one occasion he could be heard banging on the adjoining wall of the semi-detached house, shouting “I’m going to kill someone.’’

Gant said that he played loud music because he didn’t like his neighbour’s dogs.

On June 2, magistrates fined him for threatening behaviour and gave him an anti-social behaviour order.

The conditions of the order were that he did not enter the street, didn’t contact his neighbour and live and sleep at his new home address.

But on September 26, he was seen by an elderly resident outside the property and was remanded in custody for breaching the order.

The neighbour said she saw Gant, nicknamed ‘Bones’, walk up to a white Virgin Mary statue outside the front door with a can of beer in his hand.

The statue had with it a burning candle and Gant was then seen walking away in the direction of the main road.

Gant, who suffers from mental health problems, said that when his mother died he had put a statue in his garden as a tribute and would light candles there.

Jonathan Slawinski, defending, said his client denied the breach, claiming that he had asked a friend to take the figure round to the house for him.

But when magistrates rejected the claim, Mr Slawinski added: “There’s no evidence that the complainant has been disturbed or harassed.

“The individual was stood outside looking at the statue.

“He committed an act of stupidity and his liberty’s at risk.”

Magistrates granted Gant bail but told him that he risks custody if he breaches the conditions of his order again.

As he was led from the court Gant said: “I love my mum more than anything in the whole world.

“I went to make sure it (the statue) was still there.”