A elderly man bombarded his neighbours with a 12 hour homophobic rant while banging on their wall, a court heard.

Alan Cruttenden, 78, targeted John Moody and Paul Parfett in Dial Close, Gillingham, twice last year by shouting at them through their adjoining wall repeatedly calling them “queers”.

He was charged with harassment and initially pleaded not guilty but failed to appear before magistrates in Medway, and was found guilty in his absence.

The court heard how on September 18 last year, Cruttenden subjected Mr Moody and Mr Parfett, to the homophobic abuse when he shouted at the pair through the wall from noon until about 11.20pm.

He then caused more distress on September 29, shouting comments sporadically from 11pm until 5am.

Magistrates ordered Cruttenden to pay Mr Moody and Mr Parfett £50 compensation each.

The men have since moved.

When approached, Cruttenden said: “I’m not paying them compensation. This happened years ago, I could not get any sleep. I never called them queer.”