Chinese intelligence officer and lawyer daughter found guilty of stalking teacher neighbour in Bassingham dispute

A former Chinese intelligence officer and her lawyer daughter were today (Monday) found guilty of stalking their teacher neighbour.

Susan Chen, 61, and her daughter Linda Lu, 35, were convicted of causing serious alarm or distress to their neighbours, James and Lynn Smith, in the village of Bassingham.

Ms Chen and Ms Lu, who represented themselves during their five week trial, had alleged that they were the ones being "stalked and harassed".

But a jury at Lincoln Crown Court took just under two hours to convict the two women of stalking Mr and Mrs Smith between 15 July and 29 September 2023.

The two defendants showed no reaction as the guilty verdicts were returned.

Judge James House KC adjourned sentence for the prosecution to take victim impact statements from the Smiths and to prepare a sentencing note.

Ms Lu agreed to co-operate with the preparation of a psychiatric report but that was declined by Ms Chen.

Both defendants agreed to the preparation of a pre-sentence report by the Probation Service

They were remanded into custody and will be sentenced at Lincoln Crown Court on 6 December.

Prosecutors said Ms Chen and Ms Lu filmed and shouted verbal abuse towards James and Lynn Smith whilst they used their garden, six miles south of Lincoln.

The mother and daughter were also alleged to have followed Mr Smith in public places and to have deliberately made excessive noise.

Mr Smith, who has lived in the village with his wife and two children for 12 years, reported a number of incidents to the police, with audio and interactions picked up on recording devices and CCTV.

The court heard Ms Chen moved into the rented semi-detached property with her British partner in March 2023 and was joined by her lawyer daughter, Ms Lu.

Ms Chen told jurors she had previously spent 14 years serving in the Chinese Army, rising to the rank of Major, and then became a millionaire after switching to a corporate career.

Jurors were told Ms Chen met Ms Lu's father during her time in the Chinese Army, and he rose to the rank of General before retiring.

Ms Chen said she later moved to the UK for a different challenge and met a new partner with whom she frequently moved around the country.

Three months after arriving in Bassingham the mother and daughter were accused of harassing a couple living next door, including shouting derogatory abuse and "periods of loud metallic banging".

The court heard that the neighbours were in their garden on 15 July when they noticed Ms Chen taking photos of them from an upstairs window in her home.

Steve Taylor, prosecuting, said a dispute followed on 18 July, when neighbour James Smith was trimming a front hedge outside his home.

Ms Chen came outside to tell Mr Smith he "couldn't trim" the hedge. She said it belonged to her.

Further incidents followed, the court heard, including "a racket" coming from the home of Ms Lu and Ms Chen on 19 August, and "loud banging" on 23 August.

The Smiths went away in late August to "try and get some respite". However, when they returned, banging from next door commenced "within 15 minutes".

On 30 August, Mr Smith made a statement to Lincolnshire Police.

Mr Taylor told the court that, by September, incidents were happening on a "daily basis" and did not stop after the defendants were visited by police.

Ms Chen and Ms Lu were arrested on 5 September and again at the end of that month.

Videos made by Mr Smith on 1, 2 and 4 September were played in court and it was alleged the defendants could be heard "shouting derogatory abuse", including words such as "retards".

There were also "periods of loud metallic banging," it was alleged.

The two defendants had denied a single charge of stalking involving serious alarm or distress contrary to section 4A (1) (b) (ii) of the Protection from Harassment Act 1997.

PC Jordan Bathie-Drexler led the investigation. He said: “Nobody should fear sitting in their own garden, walking their children to school, or worry about barrages of abuse on a regular basis, simply because their neighbours have developed an unhealthy obsession with them.

“Stalking has such a negative impact on a victim’s life; it consumes them, takes over their feelings of wellbeing, happiness, and safety, and leaves them vulnerable. I want to take a moment to praise the victims in this case, who have conducted themselves with absolute dignity in the face of a very difficult case.

“Todays guilty verdict is a welcome one, and we hope that the victims in this case can now find a way to move forward.”