A WOMAN has been found guilty of threatening her neighbour after the victim called in a private investigator.

PI Pat Donnelly, who served for 30 years with Dorset Police, was instructed to take on the case by Nicola Meek after she was abused by Patricia Franklin in a car park.

He then spent months putting a case together to present to police, including getting hold of the tapes of Mrs Meek's 999 call by applying for a civil disclosure.

After listening to the tape himself, Mr Donnelly employed a sound engineer to search for hidden clues in background noise.

The engineer managed to isolate and enhance a three-second clip from the tape which revealed Franklin had said: "Sorry you've messed with me, love."

On Friday, a district judge sitting at Poole Magistrates' Court found the clip proved that Franklin was guilty of the crime.

It was heard that Mrs Meek and Franklin both live in Avon Road, West Moors.

The two had been involved in an "acrimonious" row over parking. On April 6 2016, Mrs Meek drove to a GP appointment at a practice in Station Road.

Franklin, 70, was due to pick up a prescription for her husband from a nearby chemist and the two parked in the same car park.

The defendant then attempted to open Mrs Meek's car door, which was locked, before "bashing" the driver's side window eight or nine times with her fist and calling the victim a "stupid cow".

Mrs Meek called police and Franklin went into the chemist.

After picking up the prescription, and while Mrs Meek was still on the phone with call handlers, Franklin said: "I'm going to get you where there's no cameras. You'll be sorry you messed with me," the court heard.

Mrs Meek wound down the window so the call handler could hear Franklin's words.

However, the exchange was not clearly audible on the tape of the call and significant work was needed by the engineer.

Franklin was sentenced to a 12-month conditional discharge and costs of £620. She was ordered to pay Mrs Meek £100 in compensation for speaking in a "reprehensible way", as well as a £20 victim surcharge.

Speaking outside of court, Mr Donnelly said: "Mrs Meek's husband came to me and asked if I could investigate.

"I started out by contacting the chief constable and the police and crime commissioner but was repeatedly ignored.

"I had to get an engineer to listen to the call after police said they'd already listened to it and found nothing on it that supported a prosecution.

"The force tried to kick me away for three or four months, even when the engineer had isolated the clip.

"Mrs Franklin being found guilty or not guilty didn't worry me - but it's important that police do their jobs properly every time, no matter who the people involved are or what the back story is."

Chief Inspector Wayne Nock, of Dorset Police, said: “The allegations were correctly and thoroughly investigated when the initial complaint was first made to Dorset Police.

“Due to the initial evidence presented, a decision was made in consultation with the Crown Prosecution Service that no further action would be taken as there was insufficient evidence for a realistic prospect of conviction.

“The complainant then instructed a private investigator to look into the case. He was able to utilise time and resources that would not have been proportionate or in the public interest due to nature of the allegations.

“However, as soon as potential independent evidence was made available to Dorset Police, the case was re-opened and sent to the CPS.

"The CPS agreed with and upheld the decision to take no further action on the alleged criminal damage, but with the new independent enhanced audio evidence, authorised a public order charge.

"The individual concerned was then handed a 12-month conditional discharge at magistrates’ court.”