A man gave a female neighbour two pickled onions and a chipolata sausage arranged as a phallic symbol because he loved her, a court heard.

Unemployed graphic designer Colin Haskey decided the rude foodstuffs, which were left on her doorstep in a teapot, would be an amusing gift.

But Lisa Newman was terrified by the present, the latest example of her neighbour's bizarre behaviour, Eastbourne magistrates were told. The 36-year-old had previously exposed himself at her from his front door, shouted that he loved her and invited her to a vicars and tarts party.

He also allegedly lay in a flowerbed singing love songs to another neighbour, Helen Lumby, and threatened to crawl into her loft and drill holes to see into "the goddess's bedroom".

Haskey's antics in Eastbourne were unveiled in court when police tried unsuccessfully to make him the subject of an antisocial behaviour order. He was said to be a manic-depressive and had previously been detained under mental health law.

The borough council had seized his stereo and video recorder after he continually breached noise pollution laws.

He had also been prosecuted for harassment and banned from approaching Miss Lumby or her mother.

Ms Newman, who lives opposite and has a 12-year-old son, said: "He has left suggestive items in a teapot, invited me to a vicars and tarts party and also shouted that he loves me.

"He has flashed his buttocks at me. I feel he is watching my movements.

"It is frightening when you are on your own. He seems to be homing in on women on their own. He knows how far to push it without breaking the law. He is taunting people."

Miss Lumby said of the threat to drill peepholes: "I found it very, very frightening. I am afraid of the man when I see him in the street. I have terrible headaches and nightmares."

But Laurence Aiolfi, defending Haskey, said: "Because he has behaved in a certain way in the past doesn't mean he is going to do it again."

He said Haskey accepted he had behaved antisocially in the past.

Haskey, who admitted finding the women attractive, denied his activities amounted to harassment.

He said of the onion incident: "I thought it was funny. A lot of people have said it was funny.

"It was probably inappropriate given my situation in the road but if anybody else had done it they would have found it funny. Spike Milligan is a manic-depressive and people find him funny. I am not pestering them. I am just trying to get on with my life."

Judge Robert Brown refused to impose an antisocial behaviour order, which would have carried a maximum five-year jail sentence for any breach.

He said: "It is quite clear that Mr Haskey's psychiatric problems lie at the root of this situation. He is a manic-depressive and if his problems remain unaddressed there is no doubt that his behaviour towards his neighbours will continue and continue to be unacceptable."

He said Haskey was made the subject of a supervised discharge on his release from hospital and a restraining order was in place regarding Miss Lumby.

He added: "I am not convinced another order is the solution."

Police said they would monitor the situation and consider whether further legal measures were needed.