Lawyer 'howled' threats outside mansion of property tycoon at 2am in row over £3.5k rent

A lawyer has been issued with a restraining order after a court heard he 'howled' threats at his landlords in the night at their 11-acre country estate.

Father-of-three James Roden, 53, screamed and shouted outside the mansion of property tycoon David Lee and his wife, Dr Svetlana Atkinson, after he fell behind on his £3,500-a-month rent of a cottage on their Cheshire complex.

Over a two week period Roden, who was formerly an equity partner at a Manchester law firm, was heard screaming in the early hours and set off security lights by walking close to the home of the couple, magistrates heard.

The court heard he sent a message to Mr Lee at 2am saying he had 'had enough' and also kept watch on the mansion house in Wilmslow. On one night, Mr Lee and Dr Atkinson opened the blinds of their windows to find Roden shouting 'I will get you and I will find you' at them from outside, it was said.

Magistrates heard Mr Lee suffered with high blood pressure due to stress and worry. Dr Atkinson had to take time off work from her surgery due to sleepless nights. It was claimed Roden refused to move out of three-bedroomed cottage.

Magistrates heard he failed to pay gardeners, cleaners and utility companies, and incurred £16,250 in unpaid bills. He later moved into a Premier Inn at Manchester Airport.

At Crewe magistrates court Roden, who gave his address as the Stanneylands Hotel in Wilmslow, pleaded guilty to two charges of harassment and was banned from contacting Mr Lee and Dr Atkinson for two years under the terms of the restraining order.

He was also sentenced to a 12-month community order with a requirement he attends up to 20 days of rehabilitation activity; fined £1,000; ordered to pay £199 in costs and a victim surcharge and