A Scottish pub owner has secured a permanent restraining order against a neighbor following a protracted and deeply troubling dispute rooted in a disagreement over smoking regulations.
Jacqueline McCaig, proprietor of the Old Swan pub in Paisley, endured three years of legal battles and spent upwards of £20,000 to obtain court protection from Paul Richardson. Her life, she states, was transformed into “a living hell.”
The conflict began after Richardson, formerly a resident in a flat above the pub, confronted bar staff regarding a customer smoking near the entrance. The situation escalated when he was charged and subsequently pleaded guilty to offenses involving abusive language and threats of violence during the altercation.
As McCaig recounted: “He seemed to believe that because I owned the pub, I could influence charges against him – something entirely beyond my control.” The initial attempts at a reasonable dialogue quickly deteriorated into increasingly hostile behavior. Richardson began exhibiting patterns of intimidation, frequently waiting for her upon opening or closing the pub.
She described one particularly unsettling incident: “On one occasion, he stood across the street in torrential rain, taking pictures for five and a half hours.”
Richardson’s actions also included attempts to enter the pub despite being prohibited from doing so. McCaig detailed her growing fear:
“I felt targeted – me, my female staff, and my business. I genuinely feared serious harm at some point.”
She elaborated:
- Her daily life became consumed by anxiety, constantly anticipating his next appearance.
- Sleep deprivation plagued her due to persistent worry.
Despite numerous complaints filed with the police, action was not taken as they indicated no crime had been committed. Law enforcement ultimately advised McCaig to pursue a legal interdict through the courts.
“It felt like my only recourse,” she stated. “Taking him to court was the sole means of securing peace and getting him to leave me alone.”
Sheriff Bruce Erroch KC found Richardson guilty of using abusive, sexually charged language towards McCaig, along with persistent acts of staring and mocking behavior outside the pub. Witness testimony corroborated these accounts, including reports that Richardson made threats referencing “knowing gangsters.”
Richardson vehemently denied being banned from the pub and attributed his grievances to issues involving vehicles obstructing a loading bay, claiming he had reported this matter to Renfrewshire Council. He also refuted allegations of using vulgar language or making inappropriate comments toward McCaig, asserting he was “not a man of violence or dishonesty” and lacked any motive for revenge.
Despite Richardson’s denials, the lifelong restraining order was granted on March 21st. A relieved Jacqueline McCaig commented: “It has been years of absolute hell just to get this man to stop.”
