Peeping Tom learns fate for terrorising elderly Fairy Meadow neighbours

The two neighbours reacted to John Albert Soster's nuisances by barricading themselves inside their property and installing CCTV cameras in May 2022, which caught him in the act.

"You can't stay inside all day, you have to come outside sometime," Soster, 60, said on one occasion while peeping over the fence.

Tendered court documents state Soster's bizarre behaviour towards his neighbours began after he asked them to pay $4,000 for a new fence between their properties.

He would verbally abuse them and peep through their bedroom window, watching his female neighbour exit the bathroom after a shower to get dressed.

"Peekaboo, I see you," Soster said.

The victims tried to keep their curtains and windows shut due to the fear and anxiety caused by Soster's constant taunting.

Then in May 2022, the couple started noticing the destruction, damage and theft of their treasured backyard plants, prompting them to install cameras.

They watched with alarm as their neighbour hovered, tip-toed and used crates and buckets to peer into their yard.

CCTV footage was aired in court showing Soster lobbing a bucket of liquid over his fence and onto his neighbour's tree about 6am on a morning in October 2022.

Hours later, the couple noticed a "strong odour" of weed killer after they went outside to water the garden.

They frantically watered the tree in hopes of washing the chemical away, before handing over the footage to police.

The pair were left with a hefty bill to remove the dead plants from their garden.

Meanwhile, Soster was subsequently charged and found guilty of destroying property, peeping or prying, and stalking.

He previously claimed in court that he didn't throw a chemical on the fence, and was instead cleaning "sticky" bird poo off his own Colorbond fence - a stance which failed to convince the magistrate.

"The evidence I've heard is that [the liquid] was highly pungent and had a strong smell," Magistrate Gabriel Fleming said.

Soster returned to Wollongong Local Court on Tuesday, February 13 for his sentence.

The magistrate noted the emotional harm Soster's behaviour caused to his victims, and ordered him to pay them $300 for the dead tree.

"[The victim] said the damage in terms of the cost and harm to her was very great because she nursed that tree for a very, very long time," the magistrate said.

Soster said he couldn't see why his actions were criminal, but vowed to "be of good behaviour moving forward".

"I did walk up and down my boundary and I do not see how that was breaking the law," he said.

"I was within my fence boundary, your Honour."

Soster was placed on a 12-month community corrections order and must perform 100 hours of unpaid community service work.