London pensioner kills neighbour’s koi carp in row over noisy pump

4 Aug 2026 • 11:17 PM MYT
The Independent
The Independent

The world’s most free-thinking newspaper

London pensioner kills neighbour’s koi carp in row over noisy pump

  • Gerry Duffy, 76, has pleaded guilty to damaging his neighbour's fishpond, killing his koi carp, and destroying a water pump in Barnet, north London.
  • Duffy claimed that he was “driven completely insane” by the noise from his neighbour's fishpond pump, leading to “sheer frustration and lack of sleep”.
  • He climbed into his neighbour's garden in March, using motor oil and detergent to damage the pond and kill “five or six” Koi carp.
  • The court heard Duffy had previously warned his neighbour, Andreas Ptohides, that he would take matters into his own hands if the noise issue was not resolved.
  • Duffy received a two-year conditional discharge and was ordered to pay £565 in compensation to Mr Ptohides for the damages.

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