Sanctuary Point woman Nikki Christoff charged after neighbourhood argument

A two-year dispute over the position of a boundary fence in a south coast town has found its way to court, after an argument in front of police ended in screams and threats.

Nikki Christoff leaving Nowra Local Court.

A two-year neighbour dispute over the position of a boundary fence has ended in a south coast court, after an argument between neighbours turned threatening in front of police.

The incident saw Nikki Christoff, 44, pleading guilty in Nowra Local Court on Tuesday to one count of stalk and intimidate to intend fear or threaten physical harm.

Documents tendered to the court reveal the Sanctuary Point woman had been in a two-year dispute with her neighbour over the position of the boundary fence, with her neighbour believing it was built in the wrong place.

The court heard the tensions over the fence boiled over on the evening of December 17 last year, when Christoff saw her neighbour looking at her while she stood near the fence.

Agreed facts state Christoff yelled “what’s your f--king problem?” before continuing to yell more abuse.

Nikki Christoff faced Nowra Local Court on Tuesday.

The neighbour was ushered inside by her partner, while replying to Christoff, yelling “f--k you”.

As Christoff continued yelling abuse outside, such as “I’ve got someone to hold your man back, come out here, you and me”, her neighbour called the police, who promptly arrived.

Nikki Christoff was charged with stalk and intimidate to intend fear or threaten physical harm.

Agreed facts state that, while the victim spoke with police inside her home, Christoff continued yelling, this time threatening to harm her.

“I’ll f--king bash her head on the road,” agreed facts reveal Christoff said.

This prompted the police to exit the house and arrest the 44-year-old woman, who was later charged at the Nowra police station.

The second neighbour was not charged.

In Nowra Local Court on Tuesday, Christoff’s lawyer Georgia Campbell said her client was a hard working mother of five with a good nature and was remorseful and embarrassed by the offence.

She said following the hostile argument over the boundary fence, the neighbours had since learned to live without arguing, by simply ignoring each other.

However, Magistrate Lisa Viney questioned why the neighbours could not do this from the start.

“This is a very poor way for someone of your age to behave,” she said.

“While there was abuse yelled by each side, there was no need to scream threats.”

However, due to Christoff’s lack of a criminal record and the fact the abuse was purely verbal, Ms Viney said she would close the case without a conviction.

“This is a warning, do not do something like this again and do not wind back up in my court,” she said.

Christoff was sentenced to a 12-month community release order.

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