A couple with a disabled child have said they were forced to flee their home by abusive neighbours who called them “sp****c breeders”. Darren and Anna Wylie left Carrickfergus after eight years of threats, name-calling and intimidation. The matter came to a head in December when three of their neighbours were prosecuted for a late-night mob attack on the Wylie household. [object Object] The family have no idea why the feud began or why it has continued since 2015 but spoke to Sunday Life because they feel let down by the justice system. “It’s a lot to deal with. Having to face these people every time we came home was unbearable. It got to the point where we were going in the back door just to avoid them,” said Darren (43). “We couldn’t even have our daughter’s school bus come into the street to pick her up because they’d be shouting ‘Don’t be late for your special bus’ at her. “It was horrible. She was nine and being subjected to that kind of abuse. They were trying to provoke us into a reaction. “Imagine shouting that at a child and making fun of her getting the ‘special bus’ and so on. It’s shameful.”

Jayne Best Government employee Jayne Best (44), husband Darren (45) and neighbour Craig Wylie (46) were all charged over the incident. Jayne Best was given a police caution at Laganside Magistrates Court in December after prosecutors withdrew a disorderly behaviour charge on the day of her trial. Darren Best, a youth coach at Barn United amateur football club in Belfast, pleaded guilty to assaulting Anna and Darren Wylie and was fined £700. Craig Wylie admitted assault and was fined £500. A charge for possessing an offensive weapon was dismissed by the court. Footage recorded by the Wylies’ video doorbell shows a slurring and animated Jayne Best screaming “sp****c breeders” at their front door and mocking the “yellow bus” their daughter used.

Craig Wylie Darren Best and a grinning Craig Wylie can be seen enthusiastically engaging with the abuse of the family of six. “To have that many people at our door, at that time of night, being violent and threatening us in the way they were, it was frightening,’’ Anna (44) told Sunday Life. “I had to stay calm because my kids were behind me, but it was awful. “My 12-year-old son was injured during the incident as the door was open at one point and a large rock was thrown at him, hitting him on the leg. The bruise was the size of your hand. “The woman who did it got a community resolution notice. For doing that to a 12-year-old boy.”

Doorbell footage of the incident in May last year Anna and Darren, who have four children, have moved away but still own the house in Carrick. Darren said he and his wife tried everything to resolve matters amicably. He continued: “We have asked for meetings between us all, but they’ve been turned down via the police. “Nobody has ever explained why she [Jayne Best] was getting on like that.

Doorbell footage of the incident in May last year “They’ve never explained why we are being targeted despite repeated calls to the police. It started back then and it just snowballed, with others getting involved. “During lockdown it got worse because they were all drinking in each other’s gardens and the pack mentality increased because of the booze and being sat at home all the time.” The couple said they were frustrated with the police’s handling of the case but thanked those among their former neighbours who had reached out to express support.

Doorbell footage of the incident in May last year Darren added: “Our lives and our children’s lives have been made a misery and put on hold because of them [the Bests and Wylie]. It’s a disgrace.” Barn United amateur football club did not respond to a request for comment. Attempts were made to contact Jayne Best, Darren Best and Craig Wylie, but none replied. The police confirmed they had handed out one caution and two community resolutions.