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Man accused of hate mail says he was 'fit up'Dawn Turnbull04/08/2001 The man accused of subjecting a village to a 12-year hate mail campaign told police he believed someone was trying to "fit him up", a court heard yesterday. Dr James Forster claimed he had received 12 of the letters and said his house was bugged and under surveillance. The 68-year-old former Open University lecturer is accused of mounting the hate mail campaign against fellow villagers in Manfield, North Yorkshire, between 1987 and 1999. Detective Constable Graham Stockton, who investigated the case, told Teesside Crown Court that Dr Forster told officers he "received some threatening letters". During interview, he said: "I believe my house is being listened and beamed into. I have been followed in my car three times in the last month." He said that he thought someone was trying to "fit him up" by copying his handwriting. Dr Forster, of Kirklea, Grunton Lane, also said he felt hounded by "certain people in Manfield". He said he was also "frightened off" buying his neighbour's house after becoming a victim of the poison pen letters. The jury was told the campaign of poison pen letters, obscene leaflets, posters and damage to property dated back to 1987. Mr Stockton said that only one letter in a bag containing dog excrement, received by villager Malcolm Hird, had been sent in the 19 months since Dr Forster's arrest. Forensic scientist Alison Reboul told the court she was given letters written by Dr Forster to compare with those in the hate-mail campaign and could find "moderate" evidence they were written by the same person. She said there was definite evidence a piece of paper found in Dr Forster's house was torn from another piece used to write a note which accompanied a pornographic magazine sent to a 13-year-old girl. He told police he believed they had planted that piece of paper in his home. Dr Forster denies 11 charges including three of threatening to destroy or damage property, three of damaging property, three of sending indecent or obscene mail, one of incitement to commit burglary and one of putting a person in fear of violence. The trial continues. • Back
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