RUSHMERE ST ANDREW: Abusive Andrew Algar is behind bars today after falsely branding a man a rapist and sending hundreds of vitriolic texts to a court-appointed bailiff.

The 49-year-old vilified Alan Clarke of Waldringfield for nearly three years, breaking three court orders in the process, because of a perceived paternity issue.

It led to Algar painting the front of his home in Woodbridge Road, Rushmere St Andrew, with the completely false slur that “Alan Clarke of Waldringfield is a rapist”.

Algar also sent the same text message on 204 occasions to bailiff Anthony Chapman stating: “May the fleas of 1,000 camels infest your a***hole”.

Other similar texts were also sent to Mr Chapman, who ended up getting involved with Algar after he lost a court battle while disputing the validity of a parking ticket.

Algar admitted harassment and breach of a restraining order. Sentencing him at Ipswich Crown Court to ten months in prison, Judge David Goodin told him: “Your bile and your spite seem to know no bounds in your determination to impoverish the life of Alan Clarke and in your attacks on Mr Chapman doing his best to do the job which he’s lawfully entitled to.”

Earlier, prosecutor Michael Crimp said Algar had received a harassment warning in December 2007 in relation to Mr Clarke and a restraining order was made in April 2008.

During his campaign against Mr Clarke, Algar turned his anger on Mr Chapman.

The court heard the enforcement officer went to Algar’s address to get items in lieu of a fine relating to a parking ticket he would not pay.

In the course of Mr Chapman’s efforts, he made the mistake of leaving his details on Algar’s answerphone. Mr Chapman then received a barrage of offensive text messages.

On July 9, while Algar was on bail for harassing Mr Chapman, he breached his restraining order in relation to Mr Clarke. Algar took great care in painting the magnolia wall of his house which faces the road in large, bold letters.

The rapist allegation was seen by many people, causing considerable embarrassment to Mr Clarke.

It remained there for three days.

Mr Crimp said the notice also caused problems for Mr Clarke’s brother, Peter, who is a businessman and has friends in the neighbourhood.

When police spoke to Algar, he confirmed he painted the six-inch high words.

Judge Goodin also issued Algar with a restraining order without time limit in relation to Mr Clarke and Mr Chapman.

Paul Donegan, representing Algar, said his client was fuelled by a perceived sense of injustice after a series of legal proceedings.

Algar’s dislike of Mr Chapman came after being given a parking ticket which he thought was inappropriate. Mr Donegan said: “He has some difficulty in accepting that matter has long gone.”

In respect of Mr Clarke, Algar has an issue over the paternity of his daughter, which he believes cannot be corroborated. However, Judge Goodin said there had been a DNA test.

Mr Donegan described Algar as a model father to his children.