Doorbell CCTV footage captured Angela Montgomery, 50, in front of her neighbour’s home, in breach of a restraining order against her.
On May 16, she had been convicted of using threatening words or behaviour towards two other people in the same street on February 22 and was made subject to a restraining order aimed at protecting them from her.
Montgomery of Winston Court, Norton, pleaded guilty to breaching the restraining order at a hearing at York Magistrates Court.
On Thursday (December 21) the Recorder of York, Judge Sean Morris, deferred sentencing of Montgomery until June 18, 2024, for her to show she can stay away from the cats and find a new home.
Judge Morris advised Montgomery to move home and said it is the “only way to cure this problem”.
He told the defendant: “You have already served some time in prison for rattling cat treats.”
The Judge warned Montgomery that if she broke the order or failed the deferment he would “have to refer to” jailing her for enough time that she would lose her flat.
“So, look for somewhere else,” he added.
Montgomery’s latest breach was the sixth since the order was granted, York Crown Court heard.
It happened on Thursday, November 30 – the day after she was released from prison and given a community order for a burglary charge where she broke into a neighbouring flat and stole diabetes medicine.
At the sentence for the burglary Judge Morris said Montgomery, who has 13 previous convictions, needed “help not punishment” due to her poor mental health.
Eleanor Guildford prosecuting said on November 30 Montgomery was first seen on CCTV outside her neighbour’s window at about 1pm and continued to appear back and forth on the footage until 7pm.
The footage showed her walk past the property and call for a cat while trying to avoid being picked up by the camera.
There was no need for her to walk past her neighbour’s window to leave her home, the court heard.
Ms Guildford said the incident caused the neighbour “significant alarm” and resulted in them phoning the police.
Judge Morris told the court the cats are microchipped to Montgomery’s neighbour.
But Rhianydd Clement defending said Montgomery believed the cats were hers, with one belonging to her late mother.
“Montgomery tells me they are her cats,” Ms Clement said.
Montgomery was arrested on Friday, December 1.
Ms Clement said Montgomery had not “had the chance” to engage with probation services and mental health support since she was released from prison at the end of November.
The defence barrister said Montgomery is now taking steps to seek counselling for the bereavement of her mother and anger management.
