Nightmare Hebburn neighbour threatened to stab two men following a spate of homophobic abuse

Anthea Marsh hurled vile insults at the victims, made dozens of unwanted calls, sent pestering texts and posted nasty notes through their doors.

Newcastle Crown Court heard in a terrifying final confrontation the 52-year-old armed herself with a six-inch kitchen knife and made stab threats in the early hours of the morning.

Marsh admitted two charges of stalking and two of threatening with an offensive weapon.

Mr Recorder Moxon told her: "I don't think I will ever understand why one person being attracted to another person of the same gender causes such upset to people with whom it has nothing to do with."

The court heard Marsh and the victims lived in the same flat complex in Hebburn, and the men had told her they wanted no further contact with her last September.

But in early November she attended one of their homes and used the slur "gay b*****d".

A few days later she pushed one of the men as she passed him.

The following month she called one of the victims 100 times and sent "abusive and pestering" messages to him.

A few days after that she attended one of their homes and shouted "go to hell" and "I will kill you".

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She used further homophobic abuse and then posted notes through their doors.

In a note sent to one of the men in January she said: "I hope you die a sad, lonely old man. You are sick touching men."

Just days later she armed herself with a kitchen knife and warned during a terrifying confrontation: "I'm going to stab you and stab that p**f downstairs".

Marsh, now of Chillingham Close, Oxclose, Washington, was sentenced to 20 months, suspended for two years with a restraining order to keep her away from the two victims.

The court heard Marsh is in poor mental and physical health, has spent time in custody and is "vulnerable" herself.